https://simplecast.com Smart Funny Tortured Conversations with creatives on when they broke down, broke through, and how they now peacefully(ish) coexist with their gifts. © 2002-2021 Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC All Rights Reserved en Fri, 9 Jan 2026 05:19:04 +0000 Fri, 9 Jan 2026 05:19:15 +0000 https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com Smart Funny Tortured https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/9ff63b22-4142-4f70-ba99-96d2e87c51fa/33489eb4-a14d-4e7a-90b3-6063347d3e3b/3000x3000/sft-3000x3000.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com episodic Conversations with creatives on when they broke down, broke through, and how they now peacefully(ish) coexist with their gifts. Paul Chamberlain true https://feeds.simplecast.com/VuAY_xh3 paul chamberlain, breakthrough, optimism, triumph, ayahuasca, breakdown, hope, personal stories, philosophy, plant medicine, recovery, redemption, rock bottom, sobriety Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC paul@smartfunnytortured.com f14228fa-9498-46cd-8211-510e50e0dd61 Sam Senchal on The God Conjecture: Physics, Soul, and Why Your Life Matters What if the universe isn’t a cold, dumb machine or a cosmic soap opera run by a temperamental sky-dad—but something deeper that both science and spirituality have been circling from opposite sides?

In this conversation, Paul welcomes his friend Sam, the mind behind The God Conjecture: a framework that tries to show how a certain model of God and creation can sit cleanly inside modern physics and computation. Drawing on Wolfram’s Ruliad (the space of all possible computations), Kabbalistic cosmology, and observer theory, Sam lays out a universe in which conscious beings aren’t accidents—they’re how reality learns about itself. Then Paul does what he does best: he brings all of those ideas back down to the complexities of real life.

They talk about:

  • Why ethics might be something we discover, not invent—like math or gravity.
  • How “evil” can be understood as inefficient paths that burn time and energy instead of moving us toward integration.
  • Shame, addiction, and rock bottom as the narrowest point in your story that opens into the widest cone of new possibilities—if you survive it.
  • How postmodernism helped us break all the old frames… and why it’s now failing to put anything back together.
  • Why humans, for all our flaws, might still be the most “godlike” observers we know—because of our creativity, metaphor, and ability to turn trauma into art, love, and sovereignty.

If you’ve ever felt too smart for the religion you grew up with and too soulful for a purely mechanical universe, this episode sits exactly in that tension: science, mysticism, shame, crisis, and the stubborn hope that your life actually matters.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] – Why the God Conjecture?
Sam’s journey from inventing billion-dollar financial structures and living the “Instagram life” to Kabbalah, fatherhood, and the need for a non-nihilistic compass for his son.

[12:04] – The Ruliad, observers, and a different kind of “God debate.”
What the Ruliad is in human terms, why the usual “does God exist?” argument is stuck, and how the God Conjecture reframes the whole thing.

[20:21] – Paul’s translation: sacredness without dogma.
Paul reflects back what he’s hearing: a universe with order and sacredness that doesn’t require us to crawl back into dogma or superstition.

[23:51] – Ethics as discovery, not invention.
Sam’s claim that ethics are more like math than fashion trends, and that “good” can be seen as the efficient path through the possibility space.

[28:26] – Evil as inefficiency.
A wild reframe: evil as what burns cycles, wastes computation, and keeps systems stuck near the boundary instead of moving toward integration.

[33:11] – Shame, rock bottom, and the cone of possibility.
Paul brings in crisis coaching and Smart Funny Tortured: why he quietly smiles when someone hits rock bottom, and how that maps to Sam’s formal model.

[39:21] – Why big religions don’t die.
The idea that major spiritual traditions persist because they posit the largest possible “limit object”—Dao, Brahman, Ein Sof, Logos—which psychologically explodes our sense of what’s possible.

[42:56] – Postmodernism’s gift and collapse.
From “genre mashup superpower” to fragmented islands and political fracture: how postmodernism helped us, and why it’s not evolutionarily fit anymore.

[54:01] – Humans vs AI: who’s more “godlike”?
Why Sam thinks human observers are still far more powerful than current AI, what true machine consciousness would require, and how creativity and metaphor act as “attractors” in the future.

[1:04:41] – Post-traumatic sovereignty as higher-order observing.
Paul brings it home: Smart Funny Tortured, siege on shame, and what it means to become the kind of observer who can integrate more reality without shattering.

 

Links & resources

Sam’s paper: The God Conjecture (GitHub) 

Paul’s Smart Funny Tortured framework: smartfunnytortured.com

Mentioned concepts and thinkers:

  • Wolfram’s Ruliad
  • Kabbalistic cosmology (Ein Sof, Tzimtzum, Sefirot)
  • Postmodernism and the noosphere
  • Post-traumatic sovereignty & Siege on Shame (SFT universe)

Guest

Sam Alexander Senchal

Sam Alexander Senchal is an interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of observation, consciousness, meaning, free will, computational physics, analytic philosophy, and theology. He is published with the Wolfram Institute, where his work engages deeply with ideas like the Ruliad and observer theory, and how they might connect to long-standing questions about God, ethics, and human experience.

Before stepping into this frontier space, Sam spent years in investing and product design for large institutions, raising and investing roughly $500 million over his career. That background in high-stakes, real-world systems gives his philosophical and theological work a rare groundedness: he’s not just speculating about abstract universes, he’s lived inside the machinery of this one.

The God Conjecture—the focal point of this episode—is his attempt to build a coherent bridge between modern physics and mystical cosmology, and to show how a properly framed “God concept” can sit cleanly inside a computational picture of reality.

In his spare time, Sam also writes and produces music, rounding out a profile that sits somewhere between quant, mystic, and artist—exactly the kind of mind we love in the Smart Funny Tortured universe.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 9 Jan 2026 05:19:04 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/sam-senchal-on-the-god-conjecture-physics-soul-and-why-your-life-matters-E_7MWo42 What if the universe isn’t a cold, dumb machine or a cosmic soap opera run by a temperamental sky-dad—but something deeper that both science and spirituality have been circling from opposite sides?

In this conversation, Paul welcomes his friend Sam, the mind behind The God Conjecture: a framework that tries to show how a certain model of God and creation can sit cleanly inside modern physics and computation. Drawing on Wolfram’s Ruliad (the space of all possible computations), Kabbalistic cosmology, and observer theory, Sam lays out a universe in which conscious beings aren’t accidents—they’re how reality learns about itself. Then Paul does what he does best: he brings all of those ideas back down to the complexities of real life.

They talk about:

  • Why ethics might be something we discover, not invent—like math or gravity.
  • How “evil” can be understood as inefficient paths that burn time and energy instead of moving us toward integration.
  • Shame, addiction, and rock bottom as the narrowest point in your story that opens into the widest cone of new possibilities—if you survive it.
  • How postmodernism helped us break all the old frames… and why it’s now failing to put anything back together.
  • Why humans, for all our flaws, might still be the most “godlike” observers we know—because of our creativity, metaphor, and ability to turn trauma into art, love, and sovereignty.

If you’ve ever felt too smart for the religion you grew up with and too soulful for a purely mechanical universe, this episode sits exactly in that tension: science, mysticism, shame, crisis, and the stubborn hope that your life actually matters.

Episode Highlights:

[00:00] – Why the God Conjecture?
Sam’s journey from inventing billion-dollar financial structures and living the “Instagram life” to Kabbalah, fatherhood, and the need for a non-nihilistic compass for his son.

[12:04] – The Ruliad, observers, and a different kind of “God debate.”
What the Ruliad is in human terms, why the usual “does God exist?” argument is stuck, and how the God Conjecture reframes the whole thing.

[20:21] – Paul’s translation: sacredness without dogma.
Paul reflects back what he’s hearing: a universe with order and sacredness that doesn’t require us to crawl back into dogma or superstition.

[23:51] – Ethics as discovery, not invention.
Sam’s claim that ethics are more like math than fashion trends, and that “good” can be seen as the efficient path through the possibility space.

[28:26] – Evil as inefficiency.
A wild reframe: evil as what burns cycles, wastes computation, and keeps systems stuck near the boundary instead of moving toward integration.

[33:11] – Shame, rock bottom, and the cone of possibility.
Paul brings in crisis coaching and Smart Funny Tortured: why he quietly smiles when someone hits rock bottom, and how that maps to Sam’s formal model.

[39:21] – Why big religions don’t die.
The idea that major spiritual traditions persist because they posit the largest possible “limit object”—Dao, Brahman, Ein Sof, Logos—which psychologically explodes our sense of what’s possible.

[42:56] – Postmodernism’s gift and collapse.
From “genre mashup superpower” to fragmented islands and political fracture: how postmodernism helped us, and why it’s not evolutionarily fit anymore.

[54:01] – Humans vs AI: who’s more “godlike”?
Why Sam thinks human observers are still far more powerful than current AI, what true machine consciousness would require, and how creativity and metaphor act as “attractors” in the future.

[1:04:41] – Post-traumatic sovereignty as higher-order observing.
Paul brings it home: Smart Funny Tortured, siege on shame, and what it means to become the kind of observer who can integrate more reality without shattering.

 

Links & resources

Sam’s paper: The God Conjecture (GitHub) 

Paul’s Smart Funny Tortured framework: smartfunnytortured.com

Mentioned concepts and thinkers:

  • Wolfram’s Ruliad
  • Kabbalistic cosmology (Ein Sof, Tzimtzum, Sefirot)
  • Postmodernism and the noosphere
  • Post-traumatic sovereignty & Siege on Shame (SFT universe)

Guest

Sam Alexander Senchal

Sam Alexander Senchal is an interdisciplinary researcher working at the intersection of observation, consciousness, meaning, free will, computational physics, analytic philosophy, and theology. He is published with the Wolfram Institute, where his work engages deeply with ideas like the Ruliad and observer theory, and how they might connect to long-standing questions about God, ethics, and human experience.

Before stepping into this frontier space, Sam spent years in investing and product design for large institutions, raising and investing roughly $500 million over his career. That background in high-stakes, real-world systems gives his philosophical and theological work a rare groundedness: he’s not just speculating about abstract universes, he’s lived inside the machinery of this one.

The God Conjecture—the focal point of this episode—is his attempt to build a coherent bridge between modern physics and mystical cosmology, and to show how a properly framed “God concept” can sit cleanly inside a computational picture of reality.

In his spare time, Sam also writes and produces music, rounding out a profile that sits somewhere between quant, mystic, and artist—exactly the kind of mind we love in the Smart Funny Tortured universe.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Sam Senchal on The God Conjecture: Physics, Soul, and Why Your Life Matters Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 01:09:20 What if the deepest tools of physics and computation end up sounding a lot like the best mystical descriptions of God? In this episode, Paul sits down with his friend Sam Senchal, author of The God Conjecture—a wild, rigorous, and surprisingly soulful attempt to reconcile Wolfram’s “Ruliad” (the space of all possible computations) with Kabbalah, ethics, and human experience. They explore a universe where observers like us are not accidents in an indifferent machine, but essential participants in reality coming to know itself. Along the way they dive into shame and rock bottom as superhighways of possibility, why evil might best be understood as “wasted computation,” how postmodernism broke our shared reality, and why creativity, metaphor, and love still mark humans as the most “godlike” things in the known universe. What if the deepest tools of physics and computation end up sounding a lot like the best mystical descriptions of God? In this episode, Paul sits down with his friend Sam Senchal, author of The God Conjecture—a wild, rigorous, and surprisingly soulful attempt to reconcile Wolfram’s “Ruliad” (the space of all possible computations) with Kabbalah, ethics, and human experience. They explore a universe where observers like us are not accidents in an indifferent machine, but essential participants in reality coming to know itself. Along the way they dive into shame and rock bottom as superhighways of possibility, why evil might best be understood as “wasted computation,” how postmodernism broke our shared reality, and why creativity, metaphor, and love still mark humans as the most “godlike” things in the known universe. integrated information and ethics, physics and spirituality, observer theory, ruliad, shame and rock bottom, ein sof and computation, smart funny tortured podcast, spiritual seekers in a scientific age, stephen wolfram ruliad, god conjecture, paul chamberlain, metaphysics of information, omega point and ruliad, ai and consciousness, computational theology, science and god, consciousness and meaning, meaning in a mechanistic universe, spiritual crisis recovery, free will and determinism, post-traumatic sovereignty, sam alexander senchal, science and religion reconciliation, leaving religion finding meaning, sam senchal, noosphere and evolution of consciousness, ethics as discovered not invented, kabbalah and physics, humans vs ai creativity, metaphor and cognition, evil as inefficiency, postmodernism collapse true full 24 70c72bb9-21f9-4800-a9e1-80b540b3f259 David Shapiro on AI, Time Sovereignty, and the Analog Future AI futurist and author David Shapiro joins Paul to map the path between panic and progress. We dig into why he invests his “limited cognitive cycles” in building rather than despair, the liminal now he calls Vesperance (and why the fever will “break” in public debates), and how to use AI as a learning partner in real health journeys—labs, history, differentials, and better doctor conversations. We challenge the attention economy, reframe wealth as time sovereignty, and explore why the future gets more analog—third spaces, neighbors, social skill rehab—right as robots become the next big shock to labor. We close on the only thing that really moves policy: incentives.

You’ll learn: agency in a post-AGI world, how to brief your doctor with AI, why “neuro-spicy” processing is an edge, and where David is placing his chips next. He’s writing The Great Decoupling, building courses (with Julia McCoy), and consulting across business, academia, and policy—hubbed via his Linktree.

Chapters

  • Optimism as a calculation
  • Vesperance & litigating AI in public
  • Health: AI as your learning partner
  • Time sovereignty > attention economy
  • The analog comeback (community & third spaces)
  • Robots: the next labor reset
  • Incentives set the guardrails

David Shapiro Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveshap

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Thu, 9 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (David Shapiro, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/david-shapiro-on-ai-time-sovereignty-and-the-analog-future-4ao4wah7 AI futurist and author David Shapiro joins Paul to map the path between panic and progress. We dig into why he invests his “limited cognitive cycles” in building rather than despair, the liminal now he calls Vesperance (and why the fever will “break” in public debates), and how to use AI as a learning partner in real health journeys—labs, history, differentials, and better doctor conversations. We challenge the attention economy, reframe wealth as time sovereignty, and explore why the future gets more analog—third spaces, neighbors, social skill rehab—right as robots become the next big shock to labor. We close on the only thing that really moves policy: incentives.

You’ll learn: agency in a post-AGI world, how to brief your doctor with AI, why “neuro-spicy” processing is an edge, and where David is placing his chips next. He’s writing The Great Decoupling, building courses (with Julia McCoy), and consulting across business, academia, and policy—hubbed via his Linktree.

Chapters

  • Optimism as a calculation
  • Vesperance & litigating AI in public
  • Health: AI as your learning partner
  • Time sovereignty > attention economy
  • The analog comeback (community & third spaces)
  • Robots: the next labor reset
  • Incentives set the guardrails

David Shapiro Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveshap

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> David Shapiro on AI, Time Sovereignty, and the Analog Future David Shapiro, Paul Chamberlain 01:04:54 Panic or progress? AI futurist David Shapiro and Paul map the middle path: Vesperance (our in-between), time sovereignty as real wealth, AI as a health learning partner, the analog comeback (third spaces, neighbors), and robots as the true labor reset. Plus: incentives > ideology in policy, and why “neuro-spicy” brains thrive in crisis. Practical, hopeful, and human. Panic or progress? AI futurist David Shapiro and Paul map the middle path: Vesperance (our in-between), time sovereignty as real wealth, AI as a health learning partner, the analog comeback (third spaces, neighbors), and robots as the true labor reset. Plus: incentives > ideology in policy, and why “neuro-spicy” brains thrive in crisis. Practical, hopeful, and human. vesperance, post-agi, incentives vs ideology, analog future, robots and labor, david shapiro, ai futurist, smart funny tortured, human os, post-labor economics, time sovereignty, chronic illness + ai true full 23 70dc0b3c-38a3-45e4-9b56-a1cc6bdde2f3 SMART – Why Outsiders Are the New Geniuses TOPICS COVERED:

- Jeffrey Hinton and the rise of AI irrelevance

- Pattern recognition, synthesis, and cognitive flexibility

- Douglas Hofstadter, Steve Jobs, Joy Buolamwini, and Tony Stark as intelligence templates

- Why generalists win in an era of disruption

- The Human OS for nonlinear, post-AGI thinkers

 

MENTIONED THINKERS & SOURCES:

- David Epstein – Range

- Douglas Hofstadter – Gödel, Escher, Bach

- Joy Buolamwini – Coded Bias

- James Flynn – The Flynn Effect

 

START HERE:

Take the free Smart Funny Tortured Self-Audit to discover your unique intelligence blueprint:

 

WATCH THE CINEMATIC EPISODE:

Prefer visuals and storytelling? Watch the full video version on the Smart Funny Tortured YouTube channel

 

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – What intelligence really means now
02:45 – Acumen, pattern recognition, and synthesis
03:57 – The value of hybrid skill sets
05:13 – Intelligence born from experience
06:38 - Integration of All Three
09:13 - Closing Thoughts

 

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Google – Search “Smart Funny Tortured”

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 11 Jul 2025 17:57:08 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/smart-why-outsiders-are-the-new-geniuses-CqlOhLUZ TOPICS COVERED:

- Jeffrey Hinton and the rise of AI irrelevance

- Pattern recognition, synthesis, and cognitive flexibility

- Douglas Hofstadter, Steve Jobs, Joy Buolamwini, and Tony Stark as intelligence templates

- Why generalists win in an era of disruption

- The Human OS for nonlinear, post-AGI thinkers

 

MENTIONED THINKERS & SOURCES:

- David Epstein – Range

- Douglas Hofstadter – Gödel, Escher, Bach

- Joy Buolamwini – Coded Bias

- James Flynn – The Flynn Effect

 

START HERE:

Take the free Smart Funny Tortured Self-Audit to discover your unique intelligence blueprint:

 

WATCH THE CINEMATIC EPISODE:

Prefer visuals and storytelling? Watch the full video version on the Smart Funny Tortured YouTube channel

 

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – What intelligence really means now
02:45 – Acumen, pattern recognition, and synthesis
03:57 – The value of hybrid skill sets
05:13 – Intelligence born from experience
06:38 - Integration of All Three
09:13 - Closing Thoughts

 

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Google – Search “Smart Funny Tortured”

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> SMART – Why Outsiders Are the New Geniuses Paul Chamberlain 00:11:12 Paul Chamberlain reframes intelligence for a world in flux. Traditional IQ metrics are becoming obsolete. What matters now is acumen, skill, and experience—and your ability to think fluidly in the face of paradox, change, and complexity. Paul Chamberlain reframes intelligence for a world in flux. Traditional IQ metrics are becoming obsolete. What matters now is acumen, skill, and experience—and your ability to think fluidly in the face of paradox, change, and complexity. douglas hofstadter, reframing intelligence, human vs ai, smart framework, steve jobs creativity, hybrid thinkers, trauma-informed coaching, neurodiversity, synthesizer mindset, generalist advantage, paul chamberlain, future of thinking, joy buolamwini bias, cognitive flexibility, outsider intelligence, smart funny tortured, ai disruption, pattern recognition, nonlinear intelligence, post-agi human os, acumen and skill true full 28 02156c50-56db-462b-a3f1-caf7cc477c46 FUNNY – Your Most Magnetic Human Advantage TOPICS COVERED:

- The neuroscience of joy, laughter, and orgasm

- Flow states, emotional intelligence, and pleasure as defiance

- Viktor Frankl, Albert Camus, and the absurdity of hope

- Why funny people are cognitively elite

- Reclaiming joy as your most magnetic edge

 

MENTIONED THINKERS & SOURCES:

- Viktor Frankl – Man’s Search for Meaning

- Albert Camus – The Myth of Sisyphus

- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow

- Neuroscience of laughter, dopamine, oxytocin, and pleasure

 

START HERE:

Take the free Smart Funny Tortured Self-Audit to rediscover your joy, flow, and inner light:

https://www.smartfunnytortured.com

 

WATCH THE CINEMATIC EPISODE:

Prefer visuals and storytelling? Watch the full video version on the Smart Funny Tortured YouTube channel:

 

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction
00:13 What If AI Can’t Touch This?
01:10 Defining “Funny” in the SFT Framework
02:41 Why Pleasure Isn’t a Luxury—It’s a Signal
03:07 The Neuroscience of Joy, Flow, and Laughter
03:57 Joy as Defiance: Viktor Frankl and Survival
05:13 Flow State and the Dissolving Ego
06:11 The 3 Elements integrated
06:58 Camus, Absurdity, and Funny
07:58 Take the Self-Audit and Go Deeper

 

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Google – Search “Smart Funny Tortured”

Your darkness is not the end of your story. Begin integration now at SmartFunnyTortured.com

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 11 Jul 2025 17:56:55 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/funny-your-most-magnetic-human-advantage-AgC5_un4 TOPICS COVERED:

- The neuroscience of joy, laughter, and orgasm

- Flow states, emotional intelligence, and pleasure as defiance

- Viktor Frankl, Albert Camus, and the absurdity of hope

- Why funny people are cognitively elite

- Reclaiming joy as your most magnetic edge

 

MENTIONED THINKERS & SOURCES:

- Viktor Frankl – Man’s Search for Meaning

- Albert Camus – The Myth of Sisyphus

- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi – Flow

- Neuroscience of laughter, dopamine, oxytocin, and pleasure

 

START HERE:

Take the free Smart Funny Tortured Self-Audit to rediscover your joy, flow, and inner light:

https://www.smartfunnytortured.com

 

WATCH THE CINEMATIC EPISODE:

Prefer visuals and storytelling? Watch the full video version on the Smart Funny Tortured YouTube channel:

 

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction
00:13 What If AI Can’t Touch This?
01:10 Defining “Funny” in the SFT Framework
02:41 Why Pleasure Isn’t a Luxury—It’s a Signal
03:07 The Neuroscience of Joy, Flow, and Laughter
03:57 Joy as Defiance: Viktor Frankl and Survival
05:13 Flow State and the Dissolving Ego
06:11 The 3 Elements integrated
06:58 Camus, Absurdity, and Funny
07:58 Take the Self-Audit and Go Deeper

 

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Google – Search “Smart Funny Tortured”

Your darkness is not the end of your story. Begin integration now at SmartFunnyTortured.com

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> FUNNY – Your Most Magnetic Human Advantage Paul Chamberlain 00:10:01 Paul Chamberlain explores “Funny” not as performance, but as your most magnetic human trait—rooted in joy, flow, and embodied rebellion. Reclaim your edge in a world AI can’t replicate. Paul Chamberlain explores “Funny” not as performance, but as your most magnetic human trait—rooted in joy, flow, and embodied rebellion. Reclaim your edge in a world AI can’t replicate. true full 27 3768417c-6d8c-4ce3-a399-45df3e0c4c8a TORTURED – How Your Darkness Becomes Your Power TOPICS COVERED:

- Trauma, shame, and desire as fuel

- The science of nervous system recalibration

- Carl Jung’s shadow, Resmaa Menakem’s soul nerve

- How shame stabilizes—then cages

- Turning repressed energy into post-traumatic sovereignty

 

MENTIONED THINKERS & SOURCES:

- Carl Jung – Shadow integration

- Resmaa Menakem – My Grandmother’s Hands

- Gabor Maté – The Myth of Normal

- Bessel van der Kolk – The Body Keeps the Score

 

START HERE:

Take the free Smart Funny Tortured Self-Audit to map your darker angels:

WATCH THE CINEMATIC EPISODE:

Prefer visuals and storytelling? Watch the full video version on the Smart Funny Tortured YouTube channel:

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction - What You’ve Been Hiding Might Be the Key
00:30 The Final Chapter of the SFT Trilogy
01:14 Redefining “Tortured”: Not Broken, But Heavy
02:23 Trauma as Adaptation, Not Damage
05:29 How Shame Becomes the Emergency Manager
06:05 The Nervous System’s Protective Rewrite
07:18 Desire as Sacred Direction
08:04 Listening to What You Crave
09:26 The Invitation: Take the Self-Audit

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon | Google – Search “Smart Funny Tortured”

Your darkness is not the end of your story. Begin integration now at SmartFunnyTortured.com

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 11 Jul 2025 17:56:38 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/tortured-how-your-darkness-becomes-your-power-mfz0T8aq TOPICS COVERED:

- Trauma, shame, and desire as fuel

- The science of nervous system recalibration

- Carl Jung’s shadow, Resmaa Menakem’s soul nerve

- How shame stabilizes—then cages

- Turning repressed energy into post-traumatic sovereignty

 

MENTIONED THINKERS & SOURCES:

- Carl Jung – Shadow integration

- Resmaa Menakem – My Grandmother’s Hands

- Gabor Maté – The Myth of Normal

- Bessel van der Kolk – The Body Keeps the Score

 

START HERE:

Take the free Smart Funny Tortured Self-Audit to map your darker angels:

WATCH THE CINEMATIC EPISODE:

Prefer visuals and storytelling? Watch the full video version on the Smart Funny Tortured YouTube channel:

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction - What You’ve Been Hiding Might Be the Key
00:30 The Final Chapter of the SFT Trilogy
01:14 Redefining “Tortured”: Not Broken, But Heavy
02:23 Trauma as Adaptation, Not Damage
05:29 How Shame Becomes the Emergency Manager
06:05 The Nervous System’s Protective Rewrite
07:18 Desire as Sacred Direction
08:04 Listening to What You Crave
09:26 The Invitation: Take the Self-Audit

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Your darkness is not the end of your story. Begin integration now at SmartFunnyTortured.com

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> TORTURED – How Your Darkness Becomes Your Power Paul Chamberlain 00:11:59 Everyone loves being smart. Everyone wants to be funny. But what about tortured? In this emotionally raw finale, Paul Chamberlain takes you into shame, trauma, and desire—not to relive it, but to reclaim it. Your deepest wounds contain fuel when processed, integrated, and turned into leadership, creativity, and sovereignty. Everyone loves being smart. Everyone wants to be funny. But what about tortured? In this emotionally raw finale, Paul Chamberlain takes you into shame, trauma, and desire—not to relive it, but to reclaim it. Your deepest wounds contain fuel when processed, integrated, and turned into leadership, creativity, and sovereignty. resmaa menakem soul nerve, tortured framework, trauma integration tools, soul transformation, trauma recovery, trauma-informed identity, sacred pain, nervous system recalibration, paul chamberlain, shadow integration, shame to power, healing through desire, emotional alchemy, darkness as fuel, future self calling, smart funny tortured, post-traumatic sovereignty, carl jung shadow, shame transmutation, leadership from wounds, spiritual resilience true full 26 f2a8e2d4-be2a-4a49-94e7-accedd3924ab Red Wine in a Coffee Cup – The Birth of Smart Funny Tortured Five years ago, Paul Chamberlain stood at a crossroads. Sobriety wasn’t just about quitting drinking—it was about confronting the deeper truths lurking beneath the surface. In this raw and deeply personal episode, Paul takes us back to the moment that changed everything: a red wine-stained coffee cup, a painful reckoning, and a journey to reclaiming his true self.

From a transformative coaching retreat in Santa Cruz to a life-altering conversation that gave birth to Smart Funny Tortured, this episode is an unfiltered look at what it means to break free from self-sabotage, embrace your contradictions, and rebuild yourself from the inside out.

Listen in as Paul shares:
✅ The moment he knew he had to change—no matter how hard it would be.
✅ Why coaching (not therapy) gave him the clarity and structure he needed.
✅ The phone call exercise that made him see himself through the eyes of those who truly knew him.
✅ The unexpected three-word revelation that became a global movement.

0:01 - A Journey From Wine Addiction to Self-Discovery
2:39 - The Transformative Journey of Personal Development and Coaching
5:39 - Transforming a Brand Into a Movement for Change
7:11 - Empathy and Humor as Unique Forms of Intelligence
8:01 - Balancing Joy and Trauma for Personal Harmony
11:03 - Embracing Self-Awareness and Personal Growth Through Honest Reflection

This isn’t just a story about personal transformation—it’s about why so many of us feel trapped by our own brilliance, humor, and pain and how we can finally step into who we were meant to be.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:19:22 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/red-wine-in-a-coffee-cup-the-birth-of-smart-funny-tortured-fqWmOZTh Five years ago, Paul Chamberlain stood at a crossroads. Sobriety wasn’t just about quitting drinking—it was about confronting the deeper truths lurking beneath the surface. In this raw and deeply personal episode, Paul takes us back to the moment that changed everything: a red wine-stained coffee cup, a painful reckoning, and a journey to reclaiming his true self.

From a transformative coaching retreat in Santa Cruz to a life-altering conversation that gave birth to Smart Funny Tortured, this episode is an unfiltered look at what it means to break free from self-sabotage, embrace your contradictions, and rebuild yourself from the inside out.

Listen in as Paul shares:
✅ The moment he knew he had to change—no matter how hard it would be.
✅ Why coaching (not therapy) gave him the clarity and structure he needed.
✅ The phone call exercise that made him see himself through the eyes of those who truly knew him.
✅ The unexpected three-word revelation that became a global movement.

0:01 - A Journey From Wine Addiction to Self-Discovery
2:39 - The Transformative Journey of Personal Development and Coaching
5:39 - Transforming a Brand Into a Movement for Change
7:11 - Empathy and Humor as Unique Forms of Intelligence
8:01 - Balancing Joy and Trauma for Personal Harmony
11:03 - Embracing Self-Awareness and Personal Growth Through Honest Reflection

This isn’t just a story about personal transformation—it’s about why so many of us feel trapped by our own brilliance, humor, and pain and how we can finally step into who we were meant to be.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Red Wine in a Coffee Cup – The Birth of Smart Funny Tortured Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 00:12:24 Paul Chamberlain candidly recounts his transformative journey from the depths of addiction to the heights of self-discovery. Through an intensive coaching session, Chamberlain reflects on the profound impact of understanding one's identity as "smart, funny, and tortured." He shares insights into balancing one's acumen, joy, and inner struggles to achieve personal growth and authenticity. This episode delves into the significance of self-awareness, the power of coaching, and Chamberlain's mission to help others embrace their unique combination of attributes for a fulfilling life. Paul Chamberlain candidly recounts his transformative journey from the depths of addiction to the heights of self-discovery. Through an intensive coaching session, Chamberlain reflects on the profound impact of understanding one's identity as "smart, funny, and tortured." He shares insights into balancing one's acumen, joy, and inner struggles to achieve personal growth and authenticity. This episode delves into the significance of self-awareness, the power of coaching, and Chamberlain's mission to help others embrace their unique combination of attributes for a fulfilling life. embracing contradictions, personal growth podcast, lessons from sobriety, deep transformation, emotional resilience, the power of reflection, overcoming shame, mental toughness, finding joy in struggle, thought leader insights, wisdom economy, honest self-exploration, master coach wisdom, self-discovery, rock bottom to breakthrough, shadow work, navigating contradictions, desire, personal branding journey, the moment everything changed, self-sabotage recovery, transformation journey, personal development, and trauma, shame, healing through humor, self-worth and reinvention, trauma healing, conscious leadership, coaching vs therapy, smart funny tortured, emotional intelligence, the power of coaching, mental health podcast, creatives and burnout, unlearning limiting beliefs, identity reclamation, breaking toxic cycles, inner work, self-improvement stories, radical self-acceptance, high achievers and self-doubt true full 25 9748ad45-f6b5-49ed-a30c-506e3acb67c8 Smart Funny Tortured: A Manifesto I was given a challenge: write a manifesto—a call to arms for a new kind of renaissance.

A world where wit, depth, and resilience aren’t just tolerated but exalted.

A world where being Smart, Funny, and Tortured pays the toll and gets you across the bridge.

And that challenge? It forced me to face something bigger than words.

Backstory:

My business coach didn’t just ask if I believed in my own framework. He called my bluff. “Is this a movement? Is this a hill worth dying on? Then write a manifesto.”Not difficult because I couldn’t write it—I could. It flowed like water.

Difficult because it forced me to see the jobs I took, the tasks I completed, the time I wasted on things I never would have stood behind like this.

We all need to pay bills. We all have responsibilities. But shouldn’t there be at least one moment in our lives where we create something worthy of a manifesto?

This is mine.

 

If this resonates, let’s talk. Drop a 🔥 in the comments or find me at smartfunnytortured.com.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 19 Feb 2025 04:48:42 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/smart-funny-tortured-a-manifesto-Rvbm1K0d I was given a challenge: write a manifesto—a call to arms for a new kind of renaissance.

A world where wit, depth, and resilience aren’t just tolerated but exalted.

A world where being Smart, Funny, and Tortured pays the toll and gets you across the bridge.

And that challenge? It forced me to face something bigger than words.

Backstory:

My business coach didn’t just ask if I believed in my own framework. He called my bluff. “Is this a movement? Is this a hill worth dying on? Then write a manifesto.”Not difficult because I couldn’t write it—I could. It flowed like water.

Difficult because it forced me to see the jobs I took, the tasks I completed, the time I wasted on things I never would have stood behind like this.

We all need to pay bills. We all have responsibilities. But shouldn’t there be at least one moment in our lives where we create something worthy of a manifesto?

This is mine.

 

If this resonates, let’s talk. Drop a 🔥 in the comments or find me at smartfunnytortured.com.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Smart Funny Tortured: A Manifesto Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 00:02:18 Smart Funny Tortured is more than a coaching brand, it is a movement. It isn’t the way. It’s a way. A highly efficient way to prepare for your future, maximize your potential, and pull yourself out of whatever liminal space you find yourself in. This is who we are: The Smart Funny Tortured. Smart Funny Tortured is more than a coaching brand, it is a movement. It isn’t the way. It’s a way. A highly efficient way to prepare for your future, maximize your potential, and pull yourself out of whatever liminal space you find yourself in. This is who we are: The Smart Funny Tortured. community, neurodivergent, potential, paul chamberlain, manifesto, smart funny tortured true full 24 df5bc9b3-a78c-42e2-a3e8-a92f8f2208a9 The Impact of AI on Coaching and Therapy In this thought-provoking episode, Paul sits down with Lumia Coaching Co-Founder and CEO, Noelle Cordeaux, to navigate the converging paths of human coaching and artificial intelligence. They discuss the impact of AI on coaching and therapy, diving deep into the implications of emerging technologies for the coaching profession and the broader human experience.

The conversation examines the influence of AI on our socialization, decision-making, and the potential for systemic disruption across various sectors, including healthcare and law. Paul and Noelle explore the opportunities and challenges that arise as AI becomes more integrated into these fields, emphasizing the importance of human connection, empathy, and critical thinking in coaching. They highlight the unique skills that coaches bring to the table, stressing that as AI advances, coaches must adapt and find ways to leverage technology while maintaining the core principles of coaching. This episode offers valuable insights for coaches navigating the changing landscape of their profession, providing guidance on how to balance the integration of AI with the irreplaceable value of human-centric approaches.

As AI rapidly advances and begins to occupy a prominent role in coaching and therapy, with systems capable of providing empathy and real-time interactions, Paul and Noelle explore the opportunities and challenges that arise. They emphasize the importance of human connection, empathy, and critical thinking in coaching, highlighting the unique skills that coaches bring to the table. The dialogue balances the utility of AI in education and advisory capacities with the irreplaceable value of human connection, nuanced understanding, and the artistry intrinsic to professional coaching.

Noelle contemplates the psychological implications of AI integration, stressing the importance of empathy, resilience, and prime worldview. Paul presents an AI-developed tool tailored for leadership coaching, sparking a conversation around the functionalities and limitations of artificial companionship. Both advocate for a balance between embracing AI advancements and fostering human connections critical for personal and societal growth.

As the transition to AI-powered systems in professional sectors could lead to significant displacement, the episode underscores the need for resilience and systems thinking. Noelle and Paul offer valuable insights for coaches navigating the changing landscape of their profession, emphasizing the importance of adapting and leveraging technology while maintaining the core principles of coaching. They stress that the core human skills learned in coaching, like empathy and effective communication, are crucial for navigating the challenges presented by AI integration into daily life.

CHAPTERS

0:05 Deciphering Emotions from a Selfie

1:17 Coaching Evolution and AI Integration

5:57 AI Integration's Impact on Professional Practices and Human Interaction

10:39 AI's Impact on High-Income Jobs and Future Unemployment

12:27 AI Disruption in Healthcare and Legal Professions

17:17 Embracing Liberal Arts and AI for Future Human Potential

20:22 AI's Emergence in Recursive Self-Improvement and Ethics

23:50 Optimism and Prime Worldview Amidst Societal Divisions

27:26 Innovating Leadership Coaching with AI Technology

33:24 Integrating Coaching and Feedback Loops in Organizations

36:05 Confronting Anxiety in Team Leadership and Feedback

40:24 The Inevitable Rise of AI in Education and Beyond

43:56 Understanding Love Through Neurobiology and Classroom Interactions

44:37 Coaching Skills as Tools for Connection in a Digital Age

52:53 Coaching in the Age of Technological Transformation

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 31 May 2024 04:23:07 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/the-impact-of-ai-on-coaching-and-therapy-zjYwyEet In this thought-provoking episode, Paul sits down with Lumia Coaching Co-Founder and CEO, Noelle Cordeaux, to navigate the converging paths of human coaching and artificial intelligence. They discuss the impact of AI on coaching and therapy, diving deep into the implications of emerging technologies for the coaching profession and the broader human experience.

The conversation examines the influence of AI on our socialization, decision-making, and the potential for systemic disruption across various sectors, including healthcare and law. Paul and Noelle explore the opportunities and challenges that arise as AI becomes more integrated into these fields, emphasizing the importance of human connection, empathy, and critical thinking in coaching. They highlight the unique skills that coaches bring to the table, stressing that as AI advances, coaches must adapt and find ways to leverage technology while maintaining the core principles of coaching. This episode offers valuable insights for coaches navigating the changing landscape of their profession, providing guidance on how to balance the integration of AI with the irreplaceable value of human-centric approaches.

As AI rapidly advances and begins to occupy a prominent role in coaching and therapy, with systems capable of providing empathy and real-time interactions, Paul and Noelle explore the opportunities and challenges that arise. They emphasize the importance of human connection, empathy, and critical thinking in coaching, highlighting the unique skills that coaches bring to the table. The dialogue balances the utility of AI in education and advisory capacities with the irreplaceable value of human connection, nuanced understanding, and the artistry intrinsic to professional coaching.

Noelle contemplates the psychological implications of AI integration, stressing the importance of empathy, resilience, and prime worldview. Paul presents an AI-developed tool tailored for leadership coaching, sparking a conversation around the functionalities and limitations of artificial companionship. Both advocate for a balance between embracing AI advancements and fostering human connections critical for personal and societal growth.

As the transition to AI-powered systems in professional sectors could lead to significant displacement, the episode underscores the need for resilience and systems thinking. Noelle and Paul offer valuable insights for coaches navigating the changing landscape of their profession, emphasizing the importance of adapting and leveraging technology while maintaining the core principles of coaching. They stress that the core human skills learned in coaching, like empathy and effective communication, are crucial for navigating the challenges presented by AI integration into daily life.

CHAPTERS

0:05 Deciphering Emotions from a Selfie

1:17 Coaching Evolution and AI Integration

5:57 AI Integration's Impact on Professional Practices and Human Interaction

10:39 AI's Impact on High-Income Jobs and Future Unemployment

12:27 AI Disruption in Healthcare and Legal Professions

17:17 Embracing Liberal Arts and AI for Future Human Potential

20:22 AI's Emergence in Recursive Self-Improvement and Ethics

23:50 Optimism and Prime Worldview Amidst Societal Divisions

27:26 Innovating Leadership Coaching with AI Technology

33:24 Integrating Coaching and Feedback Loops in Organizations

36:05 Confronting Anxiety in Team Leadership and Feedback

40:24 The Inevitable Rise of AI in Education and Beyond

43:56 Understanding Love Through Neurobiology and Classroom Interactions

44:37 Coaching Skills as Tools for Connection in a Digital Age

52:53 Coaching in the Age of Technological Transformation

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> The Impact of AI on Coaching and Therapy Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 01:00:01 In this thought-provoking episode, Paul sits down with Lumia Coaching Co-Founder and CEO, Noelle Cordeaux, to navigate the converging paths of human coaching and artificial intelligence. They discuss the impact of AI on coaching and therapy, diving deep into the implications of emerging technologies for the coaching profession and the broader human experience. In this thought-provoking episode, Paul sits down with Lumia Coaching Co-Founder and CEO, Noelle Cordeaux, to navigate the converging paths of human coaching and artificial intelligence. They discuss the impact of AI on coaching and therapy, diving deep into the implications of emerging technologies for the coaching profession and the broader human experience. true full 23 5134f421-d17b-45cb-8995-86219a8a445a Zachary Stein on AI, Education, and the Metacrisis Paul sits down with Dr. Zachary Stein to explore the future of education and the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. He advocates for dismantling traditional schools and replacing them with systems that prioritize human-to-human interaction. Dr. Stein warns against humanoid AI teachers, emphasizing their potential for deception and manipulation. Instead, he proposes AI systems that enhance and refine human relationships. Additionally, he discusses the impact of AI in sectors like military and finance, emphasizing the need for a universal grammar of value to guide AI development. The episode delves into the metacrisis and the urgent need for a paradigm shift in civilization.

Dr. Zachary Stein is a Co-Founder of the Civilization Research Institute and the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. He was trained at the interface of philosophy, psychology, and education and now works in fields related to the mitigation of global catastrophic risk. He is a widely sought-after and award-winning speaker and a leading authority on the future of education and contemporary issues in human development.

Zak is the author of dozens of published papers and two influential books. His first book, Social Justice and Educational Measurement, traces the history of standardized testing and its ethical implications. His most recent book, Education in a Time Between Worlds, grapples with the dangers posed by a profound learning and capacity deficit in a time of civilization-wide transformation. In this work, Zak argues that educational systems must be transformed beyond recognition if humanity is to survive the planetary crises currently underway, from climate change to geopolitical instability.

Zak sees education, in a deeply philosophical sense, as fundamental to the sustainability of civilization, with implications for each component of the "metacrisis" - the complex, interrelated global challenges and existential threats facing humanity. In Zak's view, whoever drives the technology stack of education will shape the future of civilization itself. His mission is to empower younger generations with the capacity to comprehend and respond appropriately to the unique challenges of our time.

Connect with Dr. Zachary Stein
Website

EPISODE CHAPTERS

0:01 - Envisioning an Educational Renaissance Through AI and Human Connection

2:18 - Technological Elites and the Redesign of Society

7:39 - BF Skinner's Influence on Societal Engineering to Prevent Existential Risks

9:22 - Manipulation Through Digital Reinforcement and Surveillance

11:58 - Technocracy's Struggle With Value and Control

13:45 - Confronting Nihilism and Meaning in Education

15:48 - Transforming American Education for Cold War Supremacy

18:35 - Decoding the Shift in American Education and Economy

21:59 - Debating AI's Role in Transforming Education

25:03 - AI Socialization Threatens Millennia-Old Human Connections

26:46 - The Ethical Dilemmas of Humanoid AI Development

32:43 - Debating the Nature of Value and the Good Life

34:12 - The Dual Use Dilemma of AI in Modern Technology

35:57 - AI's Impact on Military, Finance, and Pop Culture

39:09 - Educational Crisis and National Defense Perspectives

43:36 - Envisioning a Renaissance in Education Through AI and Community

48:57 - Revitalizing Education Through Community Engagement and Guild Structures

51:06 - Distinguishing Education from Propaganda and Coercion

55:19 - Coercion and Thought-Terminating Cliches in Social Media

1:00:26 - Confronting Propaganda with Educational Innovation

1:03:49 - Metacrisis Dynamics: Oscillating Between Chaos and Oppression

1:07:04 - Redefining Civilization Within Planetary Boundaries

1:10:37 - Rethinking Value Systems and Worldviews for Ecological Preservation

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Tue, 21 May 2024 04:58:20 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Zachary Stein) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/zachary-stein-on-ai-education-and-the-metacrisis-3__4QZBF Paul sits down with Dr. Zachary Stein to explore the future of education and the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. He advocates for dismantling traditional schools and replacing them with systems that prioritize human-to-human interaction. Dr. Stein warns against humanoid AI teachers, emphasizing their potential for deception and manipulation. Instead, he proposes AI systems that enhance and refine human relationships. Additionally, he discusses the impact of AI in sectors like military and finance, emphasizing the need for a universal grammar of value to guide AI development. The episode delves into the metacrisis and the urgent need for a paradigm shift in civilization.

Dr. Zachary Stein is a Co-Founder of the Civilization Research Institute and the Center for World Philosophy and Religion. He was trained at the interface of philosophy, psychology, and education and now works in fields related to the mitigation of global catastrophic risk. He is a widely sought-after and award-winning speaker and a leading authority on the future of education and contemporary issues in human development.

Zak is the author of dozens of published papers and two influential books. His first book, Social Justice and Educational Measurement, traces the history of standardized testing and its ethical implications. His most recent book, Education in a Time Between Worlds, grapples with the dangers posed by a profound learning and capacity deficit in a time of civilization-wide transformation. In this work, Zak argues that educational systems must be transformed beyond recognition if humanity is to survive the planetary crises currently underway, from climate change to geopolitical instability.

Zak sees education, in a deeply philosophical sense, as fundamental to the sustainability of civilization, with implications for each component of the "metacrisis" - the complex, interrelated global challenges and existential threats facing humanity. In Zak's view, whoever drives the technology stack of education will shape the future of civilization itself. His mission is to empower younger generations with the capacity to comprehend and respond appropriately to the unique challenges of our time.

Connect with Dr. Zachary Stein
Website

EPISODE CHAPTERS

0:01 - Envisioning an Educational Renaissance Through AI and Human Connection

2:18 - Technological Elites and the Redesign of Society

7:39 - BF Skinner's Influence on Societal Engineering to Prevent Existential Risks

9:22 - Manipulation Through Digital Reinforcement and Surveillance

11:58 - Technocracy's Struggle With Value and Control

13:45 - Confronting Nihilism and Meaning in Education

15:48 - Transforming American Education for Cold War Supremacy

18:35 - Decoding the Shift in American Education and Economy

21:59 - Debating AI's Role in Transforming Education

25:03 - AI Socialization Threatens Millennia-Old Human Connections

26:46 - The Ethical Dilemmas of Humanoid AI Development

32:43 - Debating the Nature of Value and the Good Life

34:12 - The Dual Use Dilemma of AI in Modern Technology

35:57 - AI's Impact on Military, Finance, and Pop Culture

39:09 - Educational Crisis and National Defense Perspectives

43:36 - Envisioning a Renaissance in Education Through AI and Community

48:57 - Revitalizing Education Through Community Engagement and Guild Structures

51:06 - Distinguishing Education from Propaganda and Coercion

55:19 - Coercion and Thought-Terminating Cliches in Social Media

1:00:26 - Confronting Propaganda with Educational Innovation

1:03:49 - Metacrisis Dynamics: Oscillating Between Chaos and Oppression

1:07:04 - Redefining Civilization Within Planetary Boundaries

1:10:37 - Rethinking Value Systems and Worldviews for Ecological Preservation

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Zachary Stein on AI, Education, and the Metacrisis Zachary Stein 01:13:01 Paul sits down with Dr. Zachary Stein to explore the future of education and the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. He advocates for dismantling traditional schools and replacing them with systems that prioritize human-to-human interaction. Dr. Stein warns against humanoid AI teachers, emphasizing their potential for deception and manipulation. Instead, he proposes AI systems that enhance and refine human relationships. Additionally, he discusses the impact of AI in sectors like military and finance, emphasizing the need for a universal grammar of value to guide AI development. The episode delves into the metacrisis and the urgent need for a paradigm shift in civilization. Paul sits down with Dr. Zachary Stein to explore the future of education and the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom. He advocates for dismantling traditional schools and replacing them with systems that prioritize human-to-human interaction. Dr. Stein warns against humanoid AI teachers, emphasizing their potential for deception and manipulation. Instead, he proposes AI systems that enhance and refine human relationships. Additionally, he discusses the impact of AI in sectors like military and finance, emphasizing the need for a universal grammar of value to guide AI development. The episode delves into the metacrisis and the urgent need for a paradigm shift in civilization. global catastrophic risk, transvaluation of civilization values, transhumanism, ai, mitigation of global catastrophic risk, propaganda, humanoid ai ethics, social media persuasion, techno feudalism, education, socialization, smart funny tortured, impact of ai on human development, coercion versus education in schools, educational hub networks for learning, zak stein, educational renaissance true full 22 4a32b1db-3385-4ccf-af35-562a8ce1c202 Elissa Strauss on Care, Codependence, and Interdependence Paul sits down with Elissa Strauss, a prominent journalist, essayist, and author. A leading voice in the conversation surrounding society, parenting, and caregiving for over 15 years. Her work has been featured in top-tier publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour, Elle, and The American Prospect, as well as on CNN and Slate's DoubleX.

In her new book, "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others," Elissa delves into the history and power of care in our lives and communities. Drawing on extensive research and her own experiences as a mother, Elissa presents a compelling case for embracing care as the key to unlocking our potential as a society. She argues that by making the invisible work of care visible and recognizing its immense value, we can transform our relationships and create a more compassionate world.

Strauss' book has been praised by notable authors and thought leaders, with Rebecca Traister calling it "an urgent and necessary book" and Brigid Schulte describing it as "brilliantly argued and timely". Kirkus Reviews commends Strauss for her "specific, frank, refreshing observations about the impact of care".

Beyond her writing, Strauss is actively involved in cultural programming and curation. She serves as the associate director of LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture, a global artists incubator program, and is the artistic director of the LABA hub in the Bay Area. Additionally, she is the senior curator of the 2024 "California Jewish Open" at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Based in Oakland, California, Strauss resides with her husband and two sons.

Connect with Elissa Strauss
Website • Facebook • X (Twitter) • Instagram

 

Episode Chapters

0:03 Embracing Interdependence in the Caregiving Conundrum

4:22 Devaluing Care in Society and Personal Realizations

6:13 Motherhood, Selfhood, and the Western Individualist Dilemma

9:45 Valuing Caregivers Shapes Cultural Perceptions of Living

11:51 Unveiling the Hidden Rewards of Caring for Others

12:18 The Collective and Individual Payoffs of Caregiving

15:21 Evolving Gender Roles in Caregiving

16:55 Redefining Caregiving: Obligation, Desire, and Societal Support

20:31 Embracing Dependency as a Natural Part of Life

22:40 Empathy and Care: Essential for Human Survival

25:41 Balancing Instant Gratification and Meaning for True Happiness

26:30 Fostering Meaningful Connections Through Caregiving Support

29:00 The Nuances of Offering a Coffee Break

29:31 Understanding Asymmetry and Care in Relationships

32:10 Addressing the Impending Challenges of an Aging Population

34:17 Rethinking Crosswalk Timings for Pedestrian Safety

35:31 Debating the Role of Robots in Elderly Care

39:21 Deconstructing the Misuse of Codependency in Modern Culture

42:52 Dissecting the Balance of Emotional Investment in Relationships

44:40 Dissecting Interdependency and Codependency in Relationships

49:02 Balancing Self-Investment and Empathy in Relationships

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
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Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 8 May 2024 12:14:50 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Elissa Strauss) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/elissa-strauss-yfpKnXrS Paul sits down with Elissa Strauss, a prominent journalist, essayist, and author. A leading voice in the conversation surrounding society, parenting, and caregiving for over 15 years. Her work has been featured in top-tier publications such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Glamour, Elle, and The American Prospect, as well as on CNN and Slate's DoubleX.

In her new book, "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others," Elissa delves into the history and power of care in our lives and communities. Drawing on extensive research and her own experiences as a mother, Elissa presents a compelling case for embracing care as the key to unlocking our potential as a society. She argues that by making the invisible work of care visible and recognizing its immense value, we can transform our relationships and create a more compassionate world.

Strauss' book has been praised by notable authors and thought leaders, with Rebecca Traister calling it "an urgent and necessary book" and Brigid Schulte describing it as "brilliantly argued and timely". Kirkus Reviews commends Strauss for her "specific, frank, refreshing observations about the impact of care".

Beyond her writing, Strauss is actively involved in cultural programming and curation. She serves as the associate director of LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture, a global artists incubator program, and is the artistic director of the LABA hub in the Bay Area. Additionally, she is the senior curator of the 2024 "California Jewish Open" at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Based in Oakland, California, Strauss resides with her husband and two sons.

Connect with Elissa Strauss
Website • Facebook • X (Twitter) • Instagram

 

Episode Chapters

0:03 Embracing Interdependence in the Caregiving Conundrum

4:22 Devaluing Care in Society and Personal Realizations

6:13 Motherhood, Selfhood, and the Western Individualist Dilemma

9:45 Valuing Caregivers Shapes Cultural Perceptions of Living

11:51 Unveiling the Hidden Rewards of Caring for Others

12:18 The Collective and Individual Payoffs of Caregiving

15:21 Evolving Gender Roles in Caregiving

16:55 Redefining Caregiving: Obligation, Desire, and Societal Support

20:31 Embracing Dependency as a Natural Part of Life

22:40 Empathy and Care: Essential for Human Survival

25:41 Balancing Instant Gratification and Meaning for True Happiness

26:30 Fostering Meaningful Connections Through Caregiving Support

29:00 The Nuances of Offering a Coffee Break

29:31 Understanding Asymmetry and Care in Relationships

32:10 Addressing the Impending Challenges of an Aging Population

34:17 Rethinking Crosswalk Timings for Pedestrian Safety

35:31 Debating the Role of Robots in Elderly Care

39:21 Deconstructing the Misuse of Codependency in Modern Culture

42:52 Dissecting the Balance of Emotional Investment in Relationships

44:40 Dissecting Interdependency and Codependency in Relationships

49:02 Balancing Self-Investment and Empathy in Relationships

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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]]> Elissa Strauss on Care, Codependence, and Interdependence Elissa Strauss 00:50:27 Paul sits down with Elissa Strauss, a prominent journalist, essayist, and author who has been a prominent voice in the conversation surrounding society, parenting, and caregiving for over 15 years. Her new book, "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others," explores the history and power of care in our lives and communities. Drawing on extensive research and personal experiences, Strauss argues for embracing care as the key to unlocking our potential as a society. She advocates for making the invisible work of care visible and recognizing its immense value to transform relationships and create a more compassionate world. Paul sits down with Elissa Strauss, a prominent journalist, essayist, and author who has been a prominent voice in the conversation surrounding society, parenting, and caregiving for over 15 years. Her new book, "When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others," explores the history and power of care in our lives and communities. Drawing on extensive research and personal experiences, Strauss argues for embracing care as the key to unlocking our potential as a society. She advocates for making the invisible work of care visible and recognizing its immense value to transform relationships and create a more compassionate world. language, dopamine, collective culture, elissa strauss, parenting, survival, human connection, interdependency, care recession, codependency, dependency, loneliness, caregiving, human relationships, elder care, dignity, government assistance, interdependence, structural support, asymmetry, aging, robots, caregivers, everyday care, smart funny tortured, healthy sense of self, meaning, authenticity, intimacy, longevity, emotional bandwidth, rich inner life, investment in others, helper's high true full 21 333f61d2-7833-4160-9c7d-818885bcca9b Curious Refuge: Caleb & Shelby Ward Paul sits down with Caleb and Shelby Ward, Co-Founders of the World’s First Home for AI Storytellers, Curious Refuge. From western Texas to the mahogany boardrooms of Hollywood studios, Caleb and Shelby are at the center of the AI filmmaking revolution. Artists and educators first, this new generation power couple, share their thoughts and feelings on what is going to keep this technology... human.

Curious Refuge is dedicated to those who seek to harness AI tools for crafting exceptional art, pioneering a new era in the future of storytelling. They blazed a trail with the creation of the world's first viral AI film trailer, reimagining Star Wars with the distinctive flair of Wes Anderson.

Caleb Ward, CEO of Curious Refuge, has been a guiding force in the realm of creative arts and AI. His work, prominently featured in The Hollywood Reporter and CNBC, emphasizes the synergistic relationship between AI and indie artists. Caleb's vast contributions include over 800 articles and tutorials, influencing a broad spectrum of creators, from Oscar-winning studios to aspiring artists. His leadership at Curious Refuge embodies his passion for empowering the next wave of creative talents.

Shelby Ward, the COO of Curious Refuge, brings her rich background in artist education in the motion design and VFX spaces. Her impactful career has involved collaboration with industry leaders such as Disney and Netflix. Shelby's commitment to building an optimistic and inclusive community aligns seamlessly with Curious Refuge's mission. Together, they create a formidable team, driving forward the integration of modern technology in artistic expression.

Episode Chapters:

00:06:11 Creativity and AI are transforming industries.
00:16:00 The AI Creative Community.
00:21:23 AI is revolutionizing content creation.
00:25:19 The Wes Anderson Star Wars Trailer.
00:31:26 The power of viral creativity.
00:38:36 The Curious Refuge story.
00:46:44 AGI best guess.

Connect with Curious Refuge

Star Wars by Wes Anderson Trailer | The Galactic Menagerie

X

Instagram

YouTube

Curious Refuge Website

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2023 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved


 

 

 

 

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🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Tue, 28 Nov 2023 13:56:21 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Caleb Ward, Shelby Ward) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/curious-refuge-caleb-shelby-ward-lCwOz_iC Paul sits down with Caleb and Shelby Ward, Co-Founders of the World’s First Home for AI Storytellers, Curious Refuge. From western Texas to the mahogany boardrooms of Hollywood studios, Caleb and Shelby are at the center of the AI filmmaking revolution. Artists and educators first, this new generation power couple, share their thoughts and feelings on what is going to keep this technology... human.

Curious Refuge is dedicated to those who seek to harness AI tools for crafting exceptional art, pioneering a new era in the future of storytelling. They blazed a trail with the creation of the world's first viral AI film trailer, reimagining Star Wars with the distinctive flair of Wes Anderson.

Caleb Ward, CEO of Curious Refuge, has been a guiding force in the realm of creative arts and AI. His work, prominently featured in The Hollywood Reporter and CNBC, emphasizes the synergistic relationship between AI and indie artists. Caleb's vast contributions include over 800 articles and tutorials, influencing a broad spectrum of creators, from Oscar-winning studios to aspiring artists. His leadership at Curious Refuge embodies his passion for empowering the next wave of creative talents.

Shelby Ward, the COO of Curious Refuge, brings her rich background in artist education in the motion design and VFX spaces. Her impactful career has involved collaboration with industry leaders such as Disney and Netflix. Shelby's commitment to building an optimistic and inclusive community aligns seamlessly with Curious Refuge's mission. Together, they create a formidable team, driving forward the integration of modern technology in artistic expression.

Episode Chapters:

00:06:11 Creativity and AI are transforming industries.
00:16:00 The AI Creative Community.
00:21:23 AI is revolutionizing content creation.
00:25:19 The Wes Anderson Star Wars Trailer.
00:31:26 The power of viral creativity.
00:38:36 The Curious Refuge story.
00:46:44 AGI best guess.

Connect with Curious Refuge

Star Wars by Wes Anderson Trailer | The Galactic Menagerie

X

Instagram

YouTube

Curious Refuge Website

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2023 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved


 

 

 

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Curious Refuge: Caleb & Shelby Ward Caleb Ward, Shelby Ward 01:00:19 Paul sits down with Caleb and Shelby Ward, Co-Founders of the World’s First Home for AI Storytellers, Curious Refuge. From western Texas to the mahogany boardrooms of Hollywood studios, Caleb and Shelby are at the center of the AI filmmaking revolution. Artists and educators first, this new generation power couple, share their thoughts and feelings on what is going to keep this technology... human. Paul sits down with Caleb and Shelby Ward, Co-Founders of the World’s First Home for AI Storytellers, Curious Refuge. From western Texas to the mahogany boardrooms of Hollywood studios, Caleb and Shelby are at the center of the AI filmmaking revolution. Artists and educators first, this new generation power couple, share their thoughts and feelings on what is going to keep this technology... human. content revolution, ai creative pioneers, digital storytelling, ai revolution., wes anderson style, caleb ward, artist education, indie filmmakers, oscar-winning studios, ai filmmaking, synergy in creativity, new era storytellers, artistic expression and ai, ai integration in art, ai in art, curious refuge, viral film trailers, creative technology, creative ai community, disruptive media technology, empowering artists, viral creativity, hollywood reporter features, hollywood boardrooms, digital content creation, shelby ward, the galactic menagerie, ai education for artists, ai trailblazers, cnbc highlights, storytelling innovation, motion design, hollywood and ai, artificial general intelligence, star wars reimagined, future of cinema, vfx industry true full 20 800ea6db-5734-453b-af7f-24640d2f35ff Timothy Morton: Eco-philosopher and Artist Paul sits down with Professor Timothy Morton, an eco-philosopher, artist, and author of 25 books, translated 40 times into 18 languages. They explore the connection between philosophy, ecology, spirituality, fascism, and shame. Their discussion centers on the notion that acknowledging our existence within the biosphere is a profound spiritual encounter. Professor Morton's broad range of work spans philosophy, literature, music, art, and more, resonating not only with scholars and philosophers but also with artists and creative minds who cherish the interconnectedness of the natural world. 

[00:00:35] What it is to be a life form
[00:05:53] The jungle is a cathedral
[00:10:12] Indigenous peoples
[00:14:32] Appreciating the atomic structure
[00:17:09] Recognizing our interconnectedness
[00:23:12] The trickster quality of nature
[00:27:18] Gender and identity exploration
[00:30:46] Evolution and sexual selection
[00:34:37] Rediscovering family relationships
[00:39:40] Spiritual experiences and Kundalini
[00:41:42] The concept of telos
[00:45:40] The human condition of shame
[00:50:57] Shame and self-limiting beliefs
[00:53:09] A shame audit
[00:57:23] Self-medication and societal energy

Connect with Timothy Morton

X

Instagram

Patreon

Blog - ECOLOGY WITHOUT NATURE

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2023 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

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]]> Thu, 21 Sep 2023 19:29:32 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Timothy Morton, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/timothy-morton-eco-philosopher-and-artist-episode-19-qDvB50so Paul sits down with Professor Timothy Morton, an eco-philosopher, artist, and author of 25 books, translated 40 times into 18 languages. They explore the connection between philosophy, ecology, spirituality, fascism, and shame. Their discussion centers on the notion that acknowledging our existence within the biosphere is a profound spiritual encounter. Professor Morton's broad range of work spans philosophy, literature, music, art, and more, resonating not only with scholars and philosophers but also with artists and creative minds who cherish the interconnectedness of the natural world. 

[00:00:35] What it is to be a life form
[00:05:53] The jungle is a cathedral
[00:10:12] Indigenous peoples
[00:14:32] Appreciating the atomic structure
[00:17:09] Recognizing our interconnectedness
[00:23:12] The trickster quality of nature
[00:27:18] Gender and identity exploration
[00:30:46] Evolution and sexual selection
[00:34:37] Rediscovering family relationships
[00:39:40] Spiritual experiences and Kundalini
[00:41:42] The concept of telos
[00:45:40] The human condition of shame
[00:50:57] Shame and self-limiting beliefs
[00:53:09] A shame audit
[00:57:23] Self-medication and societal energy

Connect with Timothy Morton

X

Instagram

Patreon

Blog - ECOLOGY WITHOUT NATURE

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2023 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Timothy Morton: Eco-philosopher and Artist Timothy Morton, Paul Chamberlain 01:00:52 Paul sits down with Professor Timothy Morton, eco-philosopher, artist, and author of 25 books, translated 40 times into 18 languages. They explore the connection between philosophy, ecology, spirituality, fascism, and shame. Their discussion centers on the notion that acknowledging our existence within the biosphere is a profound spiritual encounter. Professor Morton's broad range of work spans philosophy, literature, music, art, and more, resonating not only with scholars and philosophers but also with artists and creative minds who cherish the interconnectedness of the natural world. They have collaborated with Bjork and Laurie Anderson. Cowrote and appears in Living in the Future's Past, a 2018 film about global warming with Jeff Bridges. Professor Morton also wrote the libretto for the opera Time Time Time by Jennifer Walshe. Paul sits down with Professor Timothy Morton, eco-philosopher, artist, and author of 25 books, translated 40 times into 18 languages. They explore the connection between philosophy, ecology, spirituality, fascism, and shame. Their discussion centers on the notion that acknowledging our existence within the biosphere is a profound spiritual encounter. Professor Morton's broad range of work spans philosophy, literature, music, art, and more, resonating not only with scholars and philosophers but also with artists and creative minds who cherish the interconnectedness of the natural world. They have collaborated with Bjork and Laurie Anderson. Cowrote and appears in Living in the Future's Past, a 2018 film about global warming with Jeff Bridges. Professor Morton also wrote the libretto for the opera Time Time Time by Jennifer Walshe. self-medication in society, shame and nature, evolution and sexual selection, evolutionary psychology and sexual selection, eco-philosophy and environmental ethics, nature as a source of inspiration for artists, self-limiting beliefs, spiritual encounters in the natural world, understanding shame in the human condition, spiritual ecology, fascism and ecology, telos concept in philosophy, kundalini experiences and spirituality, eco-philosophy, shame, atomic structure and existence, biosphere awareness, smart funny tortured, family relationships in nature, philosophy and ecology discussion, timothy morton podcast, kundalini and spiritual experiences, the role of shame in self-limiting beliefs, interconnectedness of life, philosophy of interconnectedness with nature, human condition of shame, indigenous perspectives on ecology, trickster nature, exploring our existence within the biosphere, gender identity exploration, shame audit and reflection, indigenous wisdom true full 19 b82a1e95-2a97-414b-af1f-d20ad24ab82d The SFT Podcasts of 2022 - the look back epsiode Well, it's 2023 - we made it! As we gather receipts and do an audit on times past while looking forward; I wanted to gather bits and pieces of the past year's conversations in which my guests' brilliance took us places profound, hilarious and enlightening.

What we talked about...

  • Bisexuality and coming out (with Zachary Zane)
  • Understanding Happiness (with Tal Ben-Shahar)
  • Undeniable wisdom from a retired sex worker (with Rylee Rabbit)
  • the warnings about the slow rot of American authoritarianism (with Sarah Kendzior)
  • Finding one's Self (with John Kim)
  • How our biographies directly affect our biology (with Dr. Habib Sadeghi)
  • Comedy and kindness (with Jeffrey Gurian)
  • Ayahuasca and meeting our shadows (with Kat Courtney)
  • How the Marvel Cinematic Universe is built on Trauma (with George Hahn and Dr. MC McDonald)
  • The right to shame-free sex for all (with Rena Martine)

This podcast will continue to grow as will the Smart Funny Tortured brand and my dedication to using my story to help others. And if a particular clip from this omnibus episode caught your attention, go back and give it a full listen. Feel free to share, leave a review wherever you listen or drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you.

And this is where I take a moment and say "thank you". Thank you for listening and being present while I found myself and found my voice.

My name is Paul Chamberlain and this is Smart Funny Tortured 2022 - a look back.

May you find your people, find your pleasure, find your purpose and find your peace in 2023.

Happy New Year everyone.

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

Zachary Zane - Intro 2:17

Zachary Zane - No one believed I was bisexual 3:23

Zachary Zane - Paul coming out 4:21

Tal Ben-Shahar - Intro 7:30

Tal Ben-Shahar - What is Happiness Not? 8:36

Tal Ben-Shahar - Happiness is a continuum 9:59

Rylee Rabbit - Intro 11:01

Rylee Rabbit - You gotta find things that are beautiful in people 11:51

Rylee Rabbit - Shame is the supervillain 13:09

Sarah Kendzior Intro 15:46

Sarah Kendzior - Breitbart Ass Kicking 17:16

Sarah Kendzior - I'm not your mom! 23:22

John Kim - Intro 23:58

John Kim - Not a typical therapist 29:09

John Kim - Self is the most important thing 31:33

Dr. Habib Sadeghi Intro 33:30

Dr. Habib Sadeghi - Our biographies are our biology 35:59

Dr. Habib Sadeghi - Good Medicine is bad business 37:23

Jeffrey Gurian - Intro 40:24

Jeffrey Gurian - Everything that happens to me is my path 41:57

Jeffrey Gurian - Comedy became his remedy 45:20

Kat Courtney - Intro 53:03

Kat Courtney - UFC Fighter, Ayahuasca and his truth 54:49

Kat Courtney - Giving back to the medicine and the people 56:45

Marvel Traumatic Universe Intro 58:19

Marvel Traumatic Universe - George's stepdad...the superhero 1:01

Marvel Traumatic Universe - When we can't be superheroes in the face of trauma 1:03

Rena Martine - Intro 1:06

Rena Martine - The true elements for great sex 1:07

Rena Martine - ENM and the 5 W's 1:08

Goodbye 2022 1:10

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

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SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Sun, 1 Jan 2023 02:00:46 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/the-sft-podcasts-of-2022-a-look-back-k7XE_YxI Well, it's 2023 - we made it! As we gather receipts and do an audit on times past while looking forward; I wanted to gather bits and pieces of the past year's conversations in which my guests' brilliance took us places profound, hilarious and enlightening.

What we talked about...

  • Bisexuality and coming out (with Zachary Zane)
  • Understanding Happiness (with Tal Ben-Shahar)
  • Undeniable wisdom from a retired sex worker (with Rylee Rabbit)
  • the warnings about the slow rot of American authoritarianism (with Sarah Kendzior)
  • Finding one's Self (with John Kim)
  • How our biographies directly affect our biology (with Dr. Habib Sadeghi)
  • Comedy and kindness (with Jeffrey Gurian)
  • Ayahuasca and meeting our shadows (with Kat Courtney)
  • How the Marvel Cinematic Universe is built on Trauma (with George Hahn and Dr. MC McDonald)
  • The right to shame-free sex for all (with Rena Martine)

This podcast will continue to grow as will the Smart Funny Tortured brand and my dedication to using my story to help others. And if a particular clip from this omnibus episode caught your attention, go back and give it a full listen. Feel free to share, leave a review wherever you listen or drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you.

And this is where I take a moment and say "thank you". Thank you for listening and being present while I found myself and found my voice.

My name is Paul Chamberlain and this is Smart Funny Tortured 2022 - a look back.

May you find your people, find your pleasure, find your purpose and find your peace in 2023.

Happy New Year everyone.

 

EPISODE CHAPTERS

Zachary Zane - Intro 2:17

Zachary Zane - No one believed I was bisexual 3:23

Zachary Zane - Paul coming out 4:21

Tal Ben-Shahar - Intro 7:30

Tal Ben-Shahar - What is Happiness Not? 8:36

Tal Ben-Shahar - Happiness is a continuum 9:59

Rylee Rabbit - Intro 11:01

Rylee Rabbit - You gotta find things that are beautiful in people 11:51

Rylee Rabbit - Shame is the supervillain 13:09

Sarah Kendzior Intro 15:46

Sarah Kendzior - Breitbart Ass Kicking 17:16

Sarah Kendzior - I'm not your mom! 23:22

John Kim - Intro 23:58

John Kim - Not a typical therapist 29:09

John Kim - Self is the most important thing 31:33

Dr. Habib Sadeghi Intro 33:30

Dr. Habib Sadeghi - Our biographies are our biology 35:59

Dr. Habib Sadeghi - Good Medicine is bad business 37:23

Jeffrey Gurian - Intro 40:24

Jeffrey Gurian - Everything that happens to me is my path 41:57

Jeffrey Gurian - Comedy became his remedy 45:20

Kat Courtney - Intro 53:03

Kat Courtney - UFC Fighter, Ayahuasca and his truth 54:49

Kat Courtney - Giving back to the medicine and the people 56:45

Marvel Traumatic Universe Intro 58:19

Marvel Traumatic Universe - George's stepdad...the superhero 1:01

Marvel Traumatic Universe - When we can't be superheroes in the face of trauma 1:03

Rena Martine - Intro 1:06

Rena Martine - The true elements for great sex 1:07

Rena Martine - ENM and the 5 W's 1:08

Goodbye 2022 1:10

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

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🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> The SFT Podcasts of 2022 - the look back epsiode Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 01:11:15 Well, it's 2023 - we made it! As we gather receipts and do an audit on times past while looking forward; I wanted to gather bits and pieces of the past year's conversations in which my guests' brilliance took us places profound, hilarious and enlightening. Well, it's 2023 - we made it! As we gather receipts and do an audit on times past while looking forward; I wanted to gather bits and pieces of the past year's conversations in which my guests' brilliance took us places profound, hilarious and enlightening. true full 18 39d05631-6927-49c6-b070-a0a2d66680d3 Rankin Bass Christmas Specials - the SFT take What is the Christmas season without thinly veiled trauma and dysfunction in the form of beloved animated family television specials? With the help of trauma research professor, Dr. MC McDonald, sex/love addiction coach, Sean Cardinalli and Life Coach, Carllie Jaxxen, we take an irreverent but nostalgic look at the classic Rankin Bass Christmas Specials: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus.

Follow MC McDonald on Instagram: @emseyphd
Read MC McDonald on Medium
Visit MC McDonald, PhD Alchemy Coaching
Listen to the Trauma Tapes podcast hosted by MC McDonald

Follow Sean Cardinalli on Instagram: @seancardinalli

Follow Carllie Jaxxen on Instagram: @carlliemusings

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

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Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2022 06:46:34 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Sean Cardinalli, Carllie Jaxxen, MC McDonald, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/rankin-bass-christmas-specials-pP2k_o2C What is the Christmas season without thinly veiled trauma and dysfunction in the form of beloved animated family television specials? With the help of trauma research professor, Dr. MC McDonald, sex/love addiction coach, Sean Cardinalli and Life Coach, Carllie Jaxxen, we take an irreverent but nostalgic look at the classic Rankin Bass Christmas Specials: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus.

Follow MC McDonald on Instagram: @emseyphd
Read MC McDonald on Medium
Visit MC McDonald, PhD Alchemy Coaching
Listen to the Trauma Tapes podcast hosted by MC McDonald

Follow Sean Cardinalli on Instagram: @seancardinalli

Follow Carllie Jaxxen on Instagram: @carlliemusings

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Rankin Bass Christmas Specials - the SFT take Sean Cardinalli, Carllie Jaxxen, MC McDonald, Paul Chamberlain 01:11:54 What is the Christmas season without thinly veiled trauma and dysfunction in the form of beloved animated family television specials? With the help of trauma research professor, Dr. MC McDonald, sex/love addiction coach, Sean Cardinalli and Life Coach, Carllie Jaxxen, we take an irreverent but nostalgic look at the classic Rankin Bass Christmas Specials: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus. What is the Christmas season without thinly veiled trauma and dysfunction in the form of beloved animated family television specials? With the help of trauma research professor, Dr. MC McDonald, sex/love addiction coach, Sean Cardinalli and Life Coach, Carllie Jaxxen, we take an irreverent but nostalgic look at the classic Rankin Bass Christmas Specials: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty The Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus. true full 17 c826e3f7-de54-473a-a859-2522a0aceb9a Rena Martine on Intimacy, Non-Monogamy and shame-free sex Paul sits down with women's intimacy coach and former sex crimes prosecutor, Rena Martine to discuss ethical non-monogamy (ENM) and her mission to help women love their bodies, experience deep intimacy and have great sex, shame-free.

Rena Martine is a fascinating and dynamic woman who, at first glance at her career track from then to now, could be seen as a massive divergence. But upon closer examination, her evolution is both logical and beautiful.

Rena Martine was a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney for 14 years, where she specialized in sex crimes, child abuse and domestic violence cases. She continues to serve women today as an intimacy coach, educator, TEDx speaker and author.

She holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, where she was also a law review editor and twice-published author. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University Los Angeles and also holds a certificate in Positive Psychology through the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Life Coach through Lumia Coaching and recognized as a Master Coach by High Impact Coaching, an international community of the world's top coaches.

Episode Chapters

Fantasies - 4:10
Who was and is Rena Martine - 10:00 
The inequity of morality - 13:16 
The true elements of pleasurable and authentic sex - 16:21 
Monogamy falling away - 20:33 
ENM & Polyamory 101 - 20:56 
Polyamory defined - 26:11 
The 5 W's of Polyamory - 32:55
Dismantling trauma within a relationship - 35:31 
27 sex bucket list questions - 40:17
Coming back from infidelity/lack of trust - 43:23

Connect with Rena

Instagram

Twitter

RenaMartine.com

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Thu, 1 Dec 2022 05:07:12 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Rena Martine, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/rena-martine-on-intimacy-non-monogamy-and-shame-free-sex-gZBJne6U Paul sits down with women's intimacy coach and former sex crimes prosecutor, Rena Martine to discuss ethical non-monogamy (ENM) and her mission to help women love their bodies, experience deep intimacy and have great sex, shame-free.

Rena Martine is a fascinating and dynamic woman who, at first glance at her career track from then to now, could be seen as a massive divergence. But upon closer examination, her evolution is both logical and beautiful.

Rena Martine was a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney for 14 years, where she specialized in sex crimes, child abuse and domestic violence cases. She continues to serve women today as an intimacy coach, educator, TEDx speaker and author.

She holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, where she was also a law review editor and twice-published author. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University Los Angeles and also holds a certificate in Positive Psychology through the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Certified Life Coach through Lumia Coaching and recognized as a Master Coach by High Impact Coaching, an international community of the world's top coaches.

Episode Chapters

Fantasies - 4:10
Who was and is Rena Martine - 10:00 
The inequity of morality - 13:16 
The true elements of pleasurable and authentic sex - 16:21 
Monogamy falling away - 20:33 
ENM & Polyamory 101 - 20:56 
Polyamory defined - 26:11 
The 5 W's of Polyamory - 32:55
Dismantling trauma within a relationship - 35:31 
27 sex bucket list questions - 40:17
Coming back from infidelity/lack of trust - 43:23

Connect with Rena

Instagram

Twitter

RenaMartine.com

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Rena Martine on Intimacy, Non-Monogamy and shame-free sex Rena Martine, Paul Chamberlain 00:48:48 Paul sits down with women's intimacy coach and former sex crimes prosecutor, Rena Martine to discuss ethical non-monogamy (ENM) and her mission to help women love their bodies, experience deep intimacy and have great sex, shame-free. Paul sits down with women's intimacy coach and former sex crimes prosecutor, Rena Martine to discuss ethical non-monogamy (ENM) and her mission to help women love their bodies, experience deep intimacy and have great sex, shame-free. author, enm, great sex, women's sexual health, sexual intimacy, ethical non-monogamy, polyamory, rena martine, shame-free, shame, smart funny tortured, intimacy, swinging, monogamish, non-monogamy true full 16 39dd0a1f-2133-4961-85e0-f032c7802b1d The Marvel Traumatic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t powered by vibranium, sorcery or infinity stones...it's powered by trauma and grief. With the help of research professor, Dr. MC McDonald and the incomparably urbane satirist, George Hahn, we break down how the MCU has pulled off a superhuman feat in depicting the impact of these very human experiences.

In honor of the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Paul, MC and George take an informed heartfelt look at Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision and the latest MCU installment of the Black Panther saga. While laughing a lot and crying a little, they identify where the Avengers are in their own healing process and why these characters mean so much to us and give us one more way to heal.

MaryCatherine (MC) McDonald, PhD, is a research professor and life coach who specializes in the psychology of stress, and resilience. She has been researching, lecturing, and publishing on stress-based neuroscience, psychology, and lived experience since 2011. She is passionate about destigmatizing mental health issues in general, as well as reframing our understanding of mental health in order to better understand and treat it.

Given the spot-on designation of “Urban Raconteur” by the New York Times, George Hahn is a multi-talented satirist, sartorialist and non-conformist mid-century modernist who is a force of nature on all media including his eponymous online magazine and podcast. He can also be found almost daily, live-streaming his hilariously charming and intimate morning walks through Central Park with his dogs.

Episode Chapters
Which Avenger is more traumatized than the other 5:31
Hawkeye and Moral Injury 14:39
Finding meaning 21:49
Emotional vulnerability 33:30
The Hulk and Internal Family Systems 35:4
Marvel trauma collateral damage 46:57
We are all damaged people 56:44
Different speeds of grieving 1:21:51

Follow George Hahn on Instagram: @georgehahn
Follow George Hahn on Twitter: @georgehahn
Visit GeorgeHahn.com
Listen to the George Hahn Podcast

Follow MC McDonald on Instagram: @emseyphd
Read MC McDonald on Medium
Visit MC McDonald, PhD Alchemy Coaching
Listen to the Trauma Tapes podcast hosted by MC McDonald

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 18 Nov 2022 06:32:12 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (MC McDonald, Paul Chamberlain, George Hahn) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/the-marvel-traumatic-universe-_EJDx6hg The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t powered by vibranium, sorcery or infinity stones...it's powered by trauma and grief. With the help of research professor, Dr. MC McDonald and the incomparably urbane satirist, George Hahn, we break down how the MCU has pulled off a superhuman feat in depicting the impact of these very human experiences.

In honor of the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Paul, MC and George take an informed heartfelt look at Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision and the latest MCU installment of the Black Panther saga. While laughing a lot and crying a little, they identify where the Avengers are in their own healing process and why these characters mean so much to us and give us one more way to heal.

MaryCatherine (MC) McDonald, PhD, is a research professor and life coach who specializes in the psychology of stress, and resilience. She has been researching, lecturing, and publishing on stress-based neuroscience, psychology, and lived experience since 2011. She is passionate about destigmatizing mental health issues in general, as well as reframing our understanding of mental health in order to better understand and treat it.

Given the spot-on designation of “Urban Raconteur” by the New York Times, George Hahn is a multi-talented satirist, sartorialist and non-conformist mid-century modernist who is a force of nature on all media including his eponymous online magazine and podcast. He can also be found almost daily, live-streaming his hilariously charming and intimate morning walks through Central Park with his dogs.

Episode Chapters
Which Avenger is more traumatized than the other 5:31
Hawkeye and Moral Injury 14:39
Finding meaning 21:49
Emotional vulnerability 33:30
The Hulk and Internal Family Systems 35:4
Marvel trauma collateral damage 46:57
We are all damaged people 56:44
Different speeds of grieving 1:21:51

Follow George Hahn on Instagram: @georgehahn
Follow George Hahn on Twitter: @georgehahn
Visit GeorgeHahn.com
Listen to the George Hahn Podcast

Follow MC McDonald on Instagram: @emseyphd
Read MC McDonald on Medium
Visit MC McDonald, PhD Alchemy Coaching
Listen to the Trauma Tapes podcast hosted by MC McDonald

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> The Marvel Traumatic Universe MC McDonald, Paul Chamberlain, George Hahn 01:43:02 The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t powered by vibranium, sorcery or infinity stones...it's powered by trauma and grief. With the help of research professor, Dr. MC McDonald and the incomparably urbane satirist, George Hahn, we break down how the MCU has pulled off a superhuman feat in depicting the impact of these very human experiences. The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t powered by vibranium, sorcery or infinity stones...it's powered by trauma and grief. With the help of research professor, Dr. MC McDonald and the incomparably urbane satirist, George Hahn, we break down how the MCU has pulled off a superhuman feat in depicting the impact of these very human experiences. thor, love persevering, hawkeye, iron man, grief, wakanda, moral injury, hulk, marvel cinematic universe, black panther, wanda, internal family systems, trauma, mcu true full 15 712f3ecf-d356-4787-91fb-ba51a30a75ec Kat Courtney on Ayahuasca, integration and the resistance to living an authentic life Kat Courtney is a woman of exceptional power, perspective and wisdom. 

She is an 18 year veteran of Plant Medicines: Meaning she has been traditionally trained to administer the psychedelic medicinal brew Ayahuasca and the botanical cousin of Peyote, Huachuma or San Pedro cactus. She is an integration coach and her expertise extends to crises of the soul and addiction recovery. And she is an author with her first book out now,  The Plant Medicine Mystery School Volume 1: The Superhero Healing Powers of Psychotropic Plants. She is a certified Death Doula honored to help people make peace with the inevitable and beautiful transition into the afterlife.

Kat trained for almost 12 years, drinking in hundreds and hundreds of plant ceremonies. She completed 22 master plant dietas to date, including a 9 month dieta and a full year deep dive, and she has held a Master Level Reiki certification for over a decade. Now, Kat pours medicine in places like Peru and Costa Rica many times a year, leads master plant dietas both in person and remotely, and assists with preparation and integration of psychedelics in conjunction with major life events.

Specific to this podcast, Kat is yet another member of the “Save Paul Team” in that she was there at the beginning of my journey to where I am today. I remember the very first time I spoke with her. I thought I would be going to see her in person and have to walk through a beaded doorway into a cloud of incense. That’s how cynical and naive I was. What happened is that I sat in my car, in a parking lot, in a Vegas downpour talking to a woman on my cell who told me it was going to be okay by instilling in me confidence through her own story of redemption and purpose. An hour and a half later, I was in…and about to enter the world of Pachamama/Mother Ayahuasca with Kat, as my guide.

 

Episode Chapters

It all started over salads 4:55

We support each other at playing small 15:13

The Science of Ayahuasca 19:59

Sacrament 26:19

Kat's Arrest 28:51

Integration Explained 45:15

Fighting the Authentic Self 48:21

Huachuma 52:04

Death Doula 57:11

 

Connect with Kat

Instagram

TheAfterlifeCoach

PlantMedicinePeople

YouTube

Plant Medicine People

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Mon, 14 Nov 2022 03:49:36 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Kat Courtney) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/kat-courtney-on-ayahuasca-integration-and-the-resistance-to-living-an-authentic-life-N194Ebem Kat Courtney is a woman of exceptional power, perspective and wisdom. 

She is an 18 year veteran of Plant Medicines: Meaning she has been traditionally trained to administer the psychedelic medicinal brew Ayahuasca and the botanical cousin of Peyote, Huachuma or San Pedro cactus. She is an integration coach and her expertise extends to crises of the soul and addiction recovery. And she is an author with her first book out now,  The Plant Medicine Mystery School Volume 1: The Superhero Healing Powers of Psychotropic Plants. She is a certified Death Doula honored to help people make peace with the inevitable and beautiful transition into the afterlife.

Kat trained for almost 12 years, drinking in hundreds and hundreds of plant ceremonies. She completed 22 master plant dietas to date, including a 9 month dieta and a full year deep dive, and she has held a Master Level Reiki certification for over a decade. Now, Kat pours medicine in places like Peru and Costa Rica many times a year, leads master plant dietas both in person and remotely, and assists with preparation and integration of psychedelics in conjunction with major life events.

Specific to this podcast, Kat is yet another member of the “Save Paul Team” in that she was there at the beginning of my journey to where I am today. I remember the very first time I spoke with her. I thought I would be going to see her in person and have to walk through a beaded doorway into a cloud of incense. That’s how cynical and naive I was. What happened is that I sat in my car, in a parking lot, in a Vegas downpour talking to a woman on my cell who told me it was going to be okay by instilling in me confidence through her own story of redemption and purpose. An hour and a half later, I was in…and about to enter the world of Pachamama/Mother Ayahuasca with Kat, as my guide.

 

Episode Chapters

It all started over salads 4:55

We support each other at playing small 15:13

The Science of Ayahuasca 19:59

Sacrament 26:19

Kat's Arrest 28:51

Integration Explained 45:15

Fighting the Authentic Self 48:21

Huachuma 52:04

Death Doula 57:11

 

Connect with Kat

Instagram

TheAfterlifeCoach

PlantMedicinePeople

YouTube

Plant Medicine People

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED

Website

Instagram

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Kat Courtney on Ayahuasca, integration and the resistance to living an authentic life Kat Courtney 01:01:28 Kat Courtney is an 18 year veteran of Plant Medicines: She has been traditionally trained to administer the psychedelic medicinal brew Ayahuasca and the botanical cousin of Peyote, Huachuma or San Pedro cactus. She is an integration coach, an author and a certified Death Doula. Kat Courtney is an 18 year veteran of Plant Medicines: She has been traditionally trained to administer the psychedelic medicinal brew Ayahuasca and the botanical cousin of Peyote, Huachuma or San Pedro cactus. She is an integration coach, an author and a certified Death Doula. huachuma, dmt, plantmedicine, ayahuascaceremony, xamanismo, plant medicine, katcourtney, ayahuasca, shamanism, psychedelics true full 14 5213ca35-e6c0-48f6-ad64-10315ad5e5ce Jeffrey Gurian on Comedy, Fate and Dentistry Paul sits down with Jeffrey Gurian to talk about being one of the most beloved people in the world of comedy, self-limiting beliefs and picking the right outfit before the ambulance arrives.

People often refer to him as a “Renaissance Man”, because he’s involved in so many things. But he’s really a Mensch. A wonderful Yiddish term that defines a person as someone who can be relied upon to act with honor and integrity. Who is kind and considerate; admired within the small circle who know them well. 

Well, that small circle includes people like Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and so many more. I have personally witnessed the biggest stars in comedy stopping in their tracks to hug and chat with Jeffrey while the craziness of a red carpet swirls around them.

He was a former Cosmetic Dentist and Clinical Professor at New York University where he taught and lectured for 12 years. He is an author with eight books: three on comedy, five on motivation and happiness. He’s the host of Comedy Matters TV, a YouTube channel sporting millions of views along with being a regular on Sirius XM’s Bennington Show.

Above all, he is a survivor. Of both a widow maker heart attack and the deadly New York City 2020 Covid wave that almost took him out. He has battled his own demons which only seem to make him more empathetic, quirky and generous. He was there when I was battling mine and stood by when others didn’t. I will never forget that. He is one of kindest and most interesting people I have ever met and now you get that pleasure as well.

Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Instagram: @jeffreygurian
Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Twitter: @JeffreyGurian
Visit Comedy Matters TV

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 28 Oct 2022 05:04:30 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Jeffrey Gurian) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/jeffrey-gurian-on-comedy-dentistry-and-fate-HYA_gt_4 Paul sits down with Jeffrey Gurian to talk about being one of the most beloved people in the world of comedy, self-limiting beliefs and picking the right outfit before the ambulance arrives.

People often refer to him as a “Renaissance Man”, because he’s involved in so many things. But he’s really a Mensch. A wonderful Yiddish term that defines a person as someone who can be relied upon to act with honor and integrity. Who is kind and considerate; admired within the small circle who know them well. 

Well, that small circle includes people like Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and so many more. I have personally witnessed the biggest stars in comedy stopping in their tracks to hug and chat with Jeffrey while the craziness of a red carpet swirls around them.

He was a former Cosmetic Dentist and Clinical Professor at New York University where he taught and lectured for 12 years. He is an author with eight books: three on comedy, five on motivation and happiness. He’s the host of Comedy Matters TV, a YouTube channel sporting millions of views along with being a regular on Sirius XM’s Bennington Show.

Above all, he is a survivor. Of both a widow maker heart attack and the deadly New York City 2020 Covid wave that almost took him out. He has battled his own demons which only seem to make him more empathetic, quirky and generous. He was there when I was battling mine and stood by when others didn’t. I will never forget that. He is one of kindest and most interesting people I have ever met and now you get that pleasure as well.

Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Instagram: @jeffreygurian
Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Twitter: @JeffreyGurian
Visit Comedy Matters TV

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Jeffrey Gurian on Comedy, Fate and Dentistry Jeffrey Gurian 00:44:53 Paul sits down with Jeffrey Gurian to talk about being one of the most beloved people in the world of comedy, self-limiting beliefs and picking the right outfit before the ambulance arrives. People often refer to him as a “Renaissance Man”, because he’s involved in so many things. But he’s really a Mensch. A wonderful Yiddish term that defines a person as someone who can be relied upon to act with honor and integrity. Who is kind and considerate; admired within the small circle who know them well.  Well, that small circle includes people like Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and so many more. I have personally witnessed the biggest stars in comedy stopping in their tracks to hug and chat with Jeffrey while the craziness of a red carpet swirls around them. He was a former Cosmetic Dentist and Clinical Professor at New York University where he taught and lectured for 12 years. He is an author with eight books: three on comedy, five on motivation and happiness. He’s the host of Comedy Matters TV, a YouTube channel sporting millions of views along with being a regular on Sirius XM’s Bennington Show. Above all, he is a survivor. Of both a widow maker heart attack and the deadly New York City 2020 Covid wave that almost took him out. He has battled his own demons which only seem to make him more empathetic, quirky and generous. He was there when I was battling mine and stood by when others didn’t. I will never forget that. He is one of kindest and most interesting people I have ever met and now you get that pleasure as well. Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Instagram: @jeffreygurian Visit Comedy Matters TV Host: Paul Chamberlain Guest: Jeffrey Gurian Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs Paul sits down with Jeffrey Gurian to talk about being one of the most beloved people in the world of comedy, self-limiting beliefs and picking the right outfit before the ambulance arrives. People often refer to him as a “Renaissance Man”, because he’s involved in so many things. But he’s really a Mensch. A wonderful Yiddish term that defines a person as someone who can be relied upon to act with honor and integrity. Who is kind and considerate; admired within the small circle who know them well.  Well, that small circle includes people like Jimmy Fallon, Chelsea Handler, Chris Rock, Amy Schumer and so many more. I have personally witnessed the biggest stars in comedy stopping in their tracks to hug and chat with Jeffrey while the craziness of a red carpet swirls around them. He was a former Cosmetic Dentist and Clinical Professor at New York University where he taught and lectured for 12 years. He is an author with eight books: three on comedy, five on motivation and happiness. He’s the host of Comedy Matters TV, a YouTube channel sporting millions of views along with being a regular on Sirius XM’s Bennington Show. Above all, he is a survivor. Of both a widow maker heart attack and the deadly New York City 2020 Covid wave that almost took him out. He has battled his own demons which only seem to make him more empathetic, quirky and generous. He was there when I was battling mine and stood by when others didn’t. I will never forget that. He is one of kindest and most interesting people I have ever met and now you get that pleasure as well. Follow Jeffrey Gurian on Instagram: @jeffreygurian Visit Comedy Matters TV Host: Paul Chamberlain Guest: Jeffrey Gurian Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs author, jeffrey gurian, new york comedy, just for laughs, covid, standup, heart attack, comedy matters, mensch, comedy true full 13 68406ab2-0d96-420e-9ef5-f00724110ff7 Dr. Habib Sadeghi on Love and Medicine Paul sits down with Dr. Habib Sadeghi to talk about love, medicine and what we can do to regain our health and happiness despite a broken medical system.

It’s fair to say that one area of our life where we find ourselves tortured is when we have to navigate the traditional American medical system for ourselves or a loved one. Enduring the feeling that we are only to be quickly seen, prescribed and dispatched to the next test, doctor or calendar year.

Imagine having a doctor who listened to you. Who was inquisitive from the start to not only know about your condition but you as a person. Someone who embraced your story with love and compassion to not only treat you with conventional medicine, but also applying other modalities of medicine that acknowledge what the body and mind is capable of when we feel safe, heard and genuinely taken care of.

Dr. Habib Sadeghi is that doctor.

He is the founder of Be Hive of Healing, an integrative medical center based in Los Angeles. He specializes in multi-disciplinary treatment for chronic illnesses that include osteopathic, anthroposophical, environmental, psychosomatic, family, and German new medicine, as well as clinical pharmacology. He served as an attending Physician and Clinical Facilitator at UCLA-Santa Monica Medical Center and is currently a Clinical Instructor of Family Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences. He is the author of two books, The Clarity Cleanse: 12 steps to finding renewed energy, spiritual fulfillment and emotional healing, and Within: A spiritual awakening to love & weight loss. Dr.Sadeghi is also a regular contributor to Goop, CNN, BBC News and the Huffington Post, and is the publisher of the health and well-being journal, MegaZEN.

Full disclosure: Doctor Sadeghi is my doctor.

You’ll hear my story and how I ended up in his care. Sorry to say it is an all too common scenario for a lot of people. And heads up - this is the first interview I’ve done in person for the podcast - No Zoom. An issue with my mic has me sounding a little sub-par, but my guest sounds great, so enjoy.

Visit Love Button Global Movement
Visit The Be Hive of Healing

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Dr. Habib Sadeghi
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Thu, 7 Jul 2022 06:29:45 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Paul Chamberlain, Habib Sadeghi) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/dr-habib-sadeghi-on-love-and-medicine-KU3s9ktx Paul sits down with Dr. Habib Sadeghi to talk about love, medicine and what we can do to regain our health and happiness despite a broken medical system.

It’s fair to say that one area of our life where we find ourselves tortured is when we have to navigate the traditional American medical system for ourselves or a loved one. Enduring the feeling that we are only to be quickly seen, prescribed and dispatched to the next test, doctor or calendar year.

Imagine having a doctor who listened to you. Who was inquisitive from the start to not only know about your condition but you as a person. Someone who embraced your story with love and compassion to not only treat you with conventional medicine, but also applying other modalities of medicine that acknowledge what the body and mind is capable of when we feel safe, heard and genuinely taken care of.

Dr. Habib Sadeghi is that doctor.

He is the founder of Be Hive of Healing, an integrative medical center based in Los Angeles. He specializes in multi-disciplinary treatment for chronic illnesses that include osteopathic, anthroposophical, environmental, psychosomatic, family, and German new medicine, as well as clinical pharmacology. He served as an attending Physician and Clinical Facilitator at UCLA-Santa Monica Medical Center and is currently a Clinical Instructor of Family Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences. He is the author of two books, The Clarity Cleanse: 12 steps to finding renewed energy, spiritual fulfillment and emotional healing, and Within: A spiritual awakening to love & weight loss. Dr.Sadeghi is also a regular contributor to Goop, CNN, BBC News and the Huffington Post, and is the publisher of the health and well-being journal, MegaZEN.

Full disclosure: Doctor Sadeghi is my doctor.

You’ll hear my story and how I ended up in his care. Sorry to say it is an all too common scenario for a lot of people. And heads up - this is the first interview I’ve done in person for the podcast - No Zoom. An issue with my mic has me sounding a little sub-par, but my guest sounds great, so enjoy.

Visit Love Button Global Movement
Visit The Be Hive of Healing

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Dr. Habib Sadeghi
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Dr. Habib Sadeghi on Love and Medicine Paul Chamberlain, Habib Sadeghi 01:08:41 Paul sits down with Dr. Habib Sadeghi to talk about love, medicine and what we can do to regain our health and happiness despite a broken medical system. Paul sits down with Dr. Habib Sadeghi to talk about love, medicine and what we can do to regain our health and happiness despite a broken medical system. author, holistic, integrative medicine, be hive of healing, psychosomatic, anthroposophical, osteopathic, clarity cleanse, habib sadeghi, environmental, chronic illness false full 12 fe26f792-1fdc-46c8-a581-f1b86f541c57 John Kim AKA The Angry Therapist on finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better Paul sits down with The Angry Therapist, John Kim, LMFT to talk about finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better.

In a departure from the usual format, Paul sets up the interview by sharing his very personal connection to one of John’s books (I Used to Be a Miserable F*ck) and how it helped him during an extremely dark time*. Spoiler alert: there’s a happy ending for everyone on this episode.

John Kim, LMFT, (AKA The Angry Therapist) and co-founder of Lumia, pioneered the online life coaching movement. A decade ago, John Kim's divorce led to his total re-birth and he became an unconventional therapist and life coach by working out of the box and growing his audience of like-minded people from the ground up. John's books The Angry Therapist’s No BS Guide to Finding and Living Your Own Truth, I Used to Be a Miserable F*ck: An Everyman's Guide to a Meaningful Life and Single. On Purpose. have inspired thousands to change their lives.


Follow John Kim on Instagram: @TheAngryTherapist
Follow John Kim on Twitter: @AngryTherapist
Follow John Kim on TikTok: @TheAngryTherapist
Subscribe to John Kim on YouTube: The Angry Therapist
Visit TheAngryTherapist.com
Visit Lumia Coaching

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: John Kim
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

*If you or someone you know is suicidal, help is available - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish - 800-273-8255

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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]]> Thu, 12 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (John Kim, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/john-kim-aka-the-angry-therapist-on-finding-self-the-power-of-coaching-finding-self-the-power-of-coaching-and-how-motorcycles-crossfit-and-donuts-made-it-all-better-z3nksE1R Paul sits down with The Angry Therapist, John Kim, LMFT to talk about finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better.

In a departure from the usual format, Paul sets up the interview by sharing his very personal connection to one of John’s books (I Used to Be a Miserable F*ck) and how it helped him during an extremely dark time*. Spoiler alert: there’s a happy ending for everyone on this episode.

John Kim, LMFT, (AKA The Angry Therapist) and co-founder of Lumia, pioneered the online life coaching movement. A decade ago, John Kim's divorce led to his total re-birth and he became an unconventional therapist and life coach by working out of the box and growing his audience of like-minded people from the ground up. John's books The Angry Therapist’s No BS Guide to Finding and Living Your Own Truth, I Used to Be a Miserable F*ck: An Everyman's Guide to a Meaningful Life and Single. On Purpose. have inspired thousands to change their lives.


Follow John Kim on Instagram: @TheAngryTherapist
Follow John Kim on Twitter: @AngryTherapist
Follow John Kim on TikTok: @TheAngryTherapist
Subscribe to John Kim on YouTube: The Angry Therapist
Visit TheAngryTherapist.com
Visit Lumia Coaching

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: John Kim
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

*If you or someone you know is suicidal, help is available - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish - 800-273-8255

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

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]]> John Kim AKA The Angry Therapist on finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better John Kim, Paul Chamberlain 00:48:18 Paul sits down with The Angry Therapist, John Kim, LMFT to talk about finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better. Paul sits down with The Angry Therapist, John Kim, LMFT to talk about finding Self, the power of Coaching and how motorcycles, CrossFit and donuts made it all better. author, ego, crossfit, the angry therapist, lmft, therapist, i used to be a miserable f*ck, john kim, life coach, l.a., therapy, single on purpose true full 11 61cbba38-6d3d-4617-8317-2201e4465e79 Sarah Kendzior on authoritarianism, corruption and life's simple pleasures Paul sits down with best-selling author and scholar, Sarah Kendzior to talk about staying vigilant while trying to enjoy life’s simple pleasures as authoritarianism and corruption continues to accelerate.

Sarah Kendzior darkly refers to herself on Twitter as a non-fiction horror writer. That description, while hilarious, is spot on. She is also a journalist, holds a PhD in anthropology and a Masters in Central Eurasian Studies focusing on the authoritarian states of the former Soviet Union. 

Her two books, The View From Flyover Country and Hiding In Plain Sight are celebrated bestsellers and must reads for anyone wanting to understand the decline and abandonment of the Heartland and then the machinations behind the ascension of American Autocracy in the form of the Trump Family. Her upcoming book, They Knew explores the United States’ “culture of conspiracy,”. She is also co-host of Gaslit Nation, a weekly podcast which covers corruption in all things Trump and the rise of authoritarianism around the world. It is one of the most riveting sources of information about Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. She was named by Foreign Policy as one of the “100 people you should be following on Twitter to make sense of global events.”

Her reporting has been featured in many publications, including NBC News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Fast Company, The Chicago Tribune, Al Jazeera, The Globe and Mail, and The New York Times.

Sarah was on the original guest wishlist for this podcast. Because despite all the bylines and numerous television appearances handing out undeniable truths about authoritarian tactics, racism and xenophobia, the state of media and voting rights - she’s also a thoughtful artist, a rabid Guns N Roses fan, and a Mom who enjoys life’s simple pleasures in her beloved adopted hometown of St.Louis, MO.

"Both prescient and honest...seeing the roots of the arguments that now dominate cable news is both fascinating and a little bit haunting in retrospect." ―NPR

“Kendzior is no psychic. She’s just whip-smart and an expert on authoritarian governments. She’s also that rare writer with an analyst’s brain and an empath’s heart.” ―STEFENE RUSSELL, ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE

Follow Sarah Kendzior on Twitter: @SarahKendzior
Visit SarahKendzior.com

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Sarah Kendzior
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Clips featured in this episode:

Cult of Personality (7" Version) - Living Colour
Writers: Corey Glover, William Calhoun, Muzz Skillings, Vernon Reid

The Stand—Original Series Soundtrack 
music by: Nathaniel Walcott and Mike Mogis

For more episodes of Smart Funny Tortured visit SmartFunnyTortured.com

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

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]]> Tue, 19 Apr 2022 11:41:35 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Sarah Kendzior, paul chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/sarah-kendzior-authoritarianism-and-lifes-simple-pleasures-9DwpvrkB Paul sits down with best-selling author and scholar, Sarah Kendzior to talk about staying vigilant while trying to enjoy life’s simple pleasures as authoritarianism and corruption continues to accelerate.

Sarah Kendzior darkly refers to herself on Twitter as a non-fiction horror writer. That description, while hilarious, is spot on. She is also a journalist, holds a PhD in anthropology and a Masters in Central Eurasian Studies focusing on the authoritarian states of the former Soviet Union. 

Her two books, The View From Flyover Country and Hiding In Plain Sight are celebrated bestsellers and must reads for anyone wanting to understand the decline and abandonment of the Heartland and then the machinations behind the ascension of American Autocracy in the form of the Trump Family. Her upcoming book, They Knew explores the United States’ “culture of conspiracy,”. She is also co-host of Gaslit Nation, a weekly podcast which covers corruption in all things Trump and the rise of authoritarianism around the world. It is one of the most riveting sources of information about Putin and the invasion of Ukraine. She was named by Foreign Policy as one of the “100 people you should be following on Twitter to make sense of global events.”

Her reporting has been featured in many publications, including NBC News, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Fast Company, The Chicago Tribune, Al Jazeera, The Globe and Mail, and The New York Times.

Sarah was on the original guest wishlist for this podcast. Because despite all the bylines and numerous television appearances handing out undeniable truths about authoritarian tactics, racism and xenophobia, the state of media and voting rights - she’s also a thoughtful artist, a rabid Guns N Roses fan, and a Mom who enjoys life’s simple pleasures in her beloved adopted hometown of St.Louis, MO.

"Both prescient and honest...seeing the roots of the arguments that now dominate cable news is both fascinating and a little bit haunting in retrospect." ―NPR

“Kendzior is no psychic. She’s just whip-smart and an expert on authoritarian governments. She’s also that rare writer with an analyst’s brain and an empath’s heart.” ―STEFENE RUSSELL, ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE

Follow Sarah Kendzior on Twitter: @SarahKendzior
Visit SarahKendzior.com

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Sarah Kendzior
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Clips featured in this episode:

Cult of Personality (7" Version) - Living Colour
Writers: Corey Glover, William Calhoun, Muzz Skillings, Vernon Reid

The Stand—Original Series Soundtrack 
music by: Nathaniel Walcott and Mike Mogis

For more episodes of Smart Funny Tortured visit SmartFunnyTortured.com

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Sarah Kendzior on authoritarianism, corruption and life's simple pleasures Sarah Kendzior, paul chamberlain 01:08:08 Paul sits down with best-selling author and scholar, Sarah Kendzior to talk about staying vigilant while trying to enjoy life’s simple pleasures as authoritarianism and corruption continues to accelerate. Paul sits down with best-selling author and scholar, Sarah Kendzior to talk about staying vigilant while trying to enjoy life’s simple pleasures as authoritarianism and corruption continues to accelerate. january 6th, authoritarianism, hiding in plain sight, journalism, anne applebaum, corruption, kushner, andrea chalupa, gaslit nation, 2016, trump, masha gessen, view from flyover country, coup insurrection, smart funny tortured, russia, election, sarah kendzior, american exceptionalism, fascism, 2020, anthropology, uzbekistan true full 10 4c081838-7f71-4e5d-b56f-5bf17b83cc55 Rylee Rabbit & Sex Work/Entrepreneurship Paul sits down with Rylee Rabbit to talk about sex work, entrepreneurial hustle and finding things that are beautiful in people. 

Through sheer resourcefulness, fearlessness and grit she has grown her Rylee Rabbit brand into a budding enterprise with over a million followers across multiple platforms while employing several creatives and becoming an advocate for her industry and the health and welfare of those who work in it.

Follow Rylee Rabbit on Instagram: @downtherabbithole.tv
Follow Rylee Rabbit on Twitter: @MsRyleeRabbit
Visit RyleeRabbit.com

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Rylee Rabbit
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs
Special Thanks to Jake Gallen

For more episodes of Smart Funny Tortured visit SmartFunnyTortured.com

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved


 


 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 30 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/rylee-rabbit-sex-work-entrepreneurship-jGkfznL4 Paul sits down with Rylee Rabbit to talk about sex work, entrepreneurial hustle and finding things that are beautiful in people. 

Through sheer resourcefulness, fearlessness and grit she has grown her Rylee Rabbit brand into a budding enterprise with over a million followers across multiple platforms while employing several creatives and becoming an advocate for her industry and the health and welfare of those who work in it.

Follow Rylee Rabbit on Instagram: @downtherabbithole.tv
Follow Rylee Rabbit on Twitter: @MsRyleeRabbit
Visit RyleeRabbit.com

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Rylee Rabbit
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs
Special Thanks to Jake Gallen

For more episodes of Smart Funny Tortured visit SmartFunnyTortured.com

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved


 


 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Rylee Rabbit & Sex Work/Entrepreneurship Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 00:57:03 Paul sits down with Rylee Rabbit to talk about sex work, entrepreneurial hustle and finding things that are beautiful in people. Paul sits down with Rylee Rabbit to talk about sex work, entrepreneurial hustle and finding things that are beautiful in people. escort, rylee rabbit, sex work, down the rabbit hole, las vegas, onlyfans, sex worker true full 9 c2e0df7e-5338-4db8-b4a4-13262da57b57 Tal Ben-Shahar & Happiness Paul sits down with best-selling author and lecturer, Tal Ben-Shahar to discuss the science of happiness, how to become happier and how the pursuit of happiness is all wrong.

Tal Ben-Shahar taught two of the largest classes in Harvard University’s history, "Positive Psychology" and "The Psychology of Leadership." His books have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have appeared on best-seller lists around the world. His latest books are “Happiness Studies” and “Happier, No Matter What.”

Tal consults and lectures to executives in multinational corporations, the general public, and at-risk populations. The topics he lectures on include leadership, education, ethics, politics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness. He is the co-founder and chief learning officer of The Happiness Studies Academy and Potentialife.

An avid sportsman, Tal won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He obtained his PhD in Organizational Behavior and BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard.

Follow Tal Ben-Shahar on Instagram: @happiness.studies.academy

Follow Tal Ben-Shahar on Facebook: Happiness Studies Academy

Visit The Happiness Studies Academy

For more episodes of Smart Funny Tortured visit SmartFunnyTortured.com

 

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Thu, 10 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Tal Ben-Shahar, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/tal-ben-shahar-happiness-V1k48W3O Paul sits down with best-selling author and lecturer, Tal Ben-Shahar to discuss the science of happiness, how to become happier and how the pursuit of happiness is all wrong.

Tal Ben-Shahar taught two of the largest classes in Harvard University’s history, "Positive Psychology" and "The Psychology of Leadership." His books have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have appeared on best-seller lists around the world. His latest books are “Happiness Studies” and “Happier, No Matter What.”

Tal consults and lectures to executives in multinational corporations, the general public, and at-risk populations. The topics he lectures on include leadership, education, ethics, politics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness. He is the co-founder and chief learning officer of The Happiness Studies Academy and Potentialife.

An avid sportsman, Tal won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He obtained his PhD in Organizational Behavior and BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard.

Follow Tal Ben-Shahar on Instagram: @happiness.studies.academy

Follow Tal Ben-Shahar on Facebook: Happiness Studies Academy

Visit The Happiness Studies Academy

For more episodes of Smart Funny Tortured visit SmartFunnyTortured.com

 

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

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]]> Tal Ben-Shahar & Happiness Tal Ben-Shahar, Paul Chamberlain 00:53:31 Paul sits down with best-selling author and lecturer, Tal Ben-Shahar to discuss the science of happiness, how to become happier and how the pursuit of happiness is all wrong. Paul sits down with best-selling author and lecturer, Tal Ben-Shahar to discuss the science of happiness, how to become happier and how the pursuit of happiness is all wrong. leadership, happiness, positive psychology, tal ben-shahar, the science of happiness, spire, happy, the happiness studies academy, s.p.i.r.e., harvard, trauma, happier true full 8 6348fa9e-dcd8-458b-b991-141b76c4cf79 Zachary Zane & Bisexuality Despite more and more people identifying as bisexual, stigmas remain, leaving many not feeling fully accepted by their communities. This includes your host. During my interview, Zachary Zane held a special space where I felt safe to finally come out and present my authentic self to the world. I never thought that when I did do it, I would be recording  and distributing it on the Internet; but here we are...Smart, Funny and a little less Tortured.

16:30 - Paul comes out
19:40 - When Zachary came to terms with being bisexual
37:00 - Zachary goes to the White House
39:15 - The challenges and needs specific to bisexuality

Zachary Zane is a Brooklyn-based columnist, sex expert, and activist whose work focuses on sexuality, lifestyle, culture, and the LGBTQ community. He currently has a sex advice column at Men's Health titled "Sexplain It" and a relationship column at Queer Majority titled "Zach and the City." His work has been published in the New York Times Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, GQ, Playboy, Slate, Cosmo, Bustle, VICE, NBC, Dazed, The Daily Beast, and many others. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of BOYSLUT Zine, which publishes real, first-person sex stories from kinksters across the globe.

He was formerly a digital associate editor at OUT Magazine and a contributing editor at Pride.com, Plus Magazine, and The Advocate Magazine.

As a leading bisexual activist, Zane has spoken across the country at universities and panels alike, discussing issues pertaining to the bisexual community, sex-positivity, and ethical non-monogamy. He previously had a biweekly column at Bisexual.org that ran for 18 months.

He attended the "Bisexual White House Briefing" at the White House (under Obama), and has been featured as an expert on a number of podcasts including Dan Savage's "The Savage Lovecast."

 

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Tue, 22 Feb 2022 17:47:09 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/zachary-zane-and-bisexuality-aJDf_QOG Despite more and more people identifying as bisexual, stigmas remain, leaving many not feeling fully accepted by their communities. This includes your host. During my interview, Zachary Zane held a special space where I felt safe to finally come out and present my authentic self to the world. I never thought that when I did do it, I would be recording  and distributing it on the Internet; but here we are...Smart, Funny and a little less Tortured.

16:30 - Paul comes out
19:40 - When Zachary came to terms with being bisexual
37:00 - Zachary goes to the White House
39:15 - The challenges and needs specific to bisexuality

Zachary Zane is a Brooklyn-based columnist, sex expert, and activist whose work focuses on sexuality, lifestyle, culture, and the LGBTQ community. He currently has a sex advice column at Men's Health titled "Sexplain It" and a relationship column at Queer Majority titled "Zach and the City." His work has been published in the New York Times Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, GQ, Playboy, Slate, Cosmo, Bustle, VICE, NBC, Dazed, The Daily Beast, and many others. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of BOYSLUT Zine, which publishes real, first-person sex stories from kinksters across the globe.

He was formerly a digital associate editor at OUT Magazine and a contributing editor at Pride.com, Plus Magazine, and The Advocate Magazine.

As a leading bisexual activist, Zane has spoken across the country at universities and panels alike, discussing issues pertaining to the bisexual community, sex-positivity, and ethical non-monogamy. He previously had a biweekly column at Bisexual.org that ran for 18 months.

He attended the "Bisexual White House Briefing" at the White House (under Obama), and has been featured as an expert on a number of podcasts including Dan Savage's "The Savage Lovecast."

 

Copyright © 2022 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Zachary Zane & Bisexuality Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 00:59:25 Paul sits down with Zachary Zane to talk about bisexuality, coming out and the irony in being able to date all genders. The “B” in LGBTQ are for the most part invisible or dismissed. They have some of the highest rates of depression and suicide ideation on the LGBTQ spectrum and have special challenges in finding community as far as their sexual identity is concerned. And that is where my guest today comes in. His work has been published in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, GQ,  VICE and so many more. He currently has a sex advice column at Men's Health titled "Sexplain It" and a relationship column at Queer Majority titled "Zach and the City."  Along with being a Brooklyn-based columnist… he is a sex expert, and activist whose work focuses on sexuality, and the LGBTQ community. And probably one of the most prolific contemporary voices out there today on bisexuality. It's a fascinating topic perfect for this podcast…and it’s also very personal. Paul sits down with Zachary Zane to talk about bisexuality, coming out and the irony in being able to date all genders. The “B” in LGBTQ are for the most part invisible or dismissed. They have some of the highest rates of depression and suicide ideation on the LGBTQ spectrum and have special challenges in finding community as far as their sexual identity is concerned. And that is where my guest today comes in. His work has been published in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, GQ,  VICE and so many more. He currently has a sex advice column at Men's Health titled "Sexplain It" and a relationship column at Queer Majority titled "Zach and the City."  Along with being a Brooklyn-based columnist… he is a sex expert, and activist whose work focuses on sexuality, and the LGBTQ community. And probably one of the most prolific contemporary voices out there today on bisexuality. It's a fascinating topic perfect for this podcast…and it’s also very personal. lgbtqi+, sexual health, mens health, sexplain it, lgbt, pansexuality, bisexuality, ambisexual, polysexual, bisexual, homosexuality, gay, depression, fluid, zachary zane true full 7 4b594279-4740-446e-93bf-8363b12f205f James Bond & George Hahn James Bond is smart, funny, tortured: Paul and George Hahn explain why and also list their favorite and not-so-favorite franchise elements

In honor of the long overdue release of No Time To Die--the 25th installment of the James Bond franchise--Paul sits down with fellow 007 megafan, George Hahn, to discuss why the ever-evolving, functional alcoholic crack-shot misogynist remains a titan of pop culture. Hahn, a celebrated satirist, sartorialist and urban raconteur, joins Paul to indulge their shared appreciation by ranking the best and worst elements of Bond, from favorite films, best opening themes and worst lines from sixty years of James Bond adventures.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:19:37 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (George Hahn, Paul Chamberlain) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/james-bond-george-hahn-TovdbN27 James Bond is smart, funny, tortured: Paul and George Hahn explain why and also list their favorite and not-so-favorite franchise elements

In honor of the long overdue release of No Time To Die--the 25th installment of the James Bond franchise--Paul sits down with fellow 007 megafan, George Hahn, to discuss why the ever-evolving, functional alcoholic crack-shot misogynist remains a titan of pop culture. Hahn, a celebrated satirist, sartorialist and urban raconteur, joins Paul to indulge their shared appreciation by ranking the best and worst elements of Bond, from favorite films, best opening themes and worst lines from sixty years of James Bond adventures.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> James Bond & George Hahn George Hahn, Paul Chamberlain 01:22:29 James Bond is smart, funny, and tortured: Paul and George Hahn explain why and also list their favorite and not-so-favorite franchise elements. James Bond is smart, funny, and tortured: Paul and George Hahn explain why and also list their favorite and not-so-favorite franchise elements. skyfall, 007, george hahn, goldeneye, kd lang, paul chamberlain, no time to die, daniel craig, smart funny tortured, ben whishaw, james bond, quantum of solace true full 6 5c456868-1b57-4135-9146-934094794370 Jonathan Capehart Paul sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jonathan Capehart to talk about being black, gay, finding the gray, and the day when America was as close as it ever was to realizing its national ideals.

Jonathan Capehart is anchor of “The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart” on MSNBC. He is also an opinion writer and editorial board member of The Washington Post, where he hosts the “Cape Up” podcast and anchors Washington Post Live’s “First Look,” and a commentator on “The PBS Newshour.”

Follow Jonathan Capehart on Instagram: @CapehartJ
Follow Jonathan Capehart on Twitter: @CapehartJ
Visit The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart
Visit The PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart
Listen to Cape Up with Jonathan Capehart

 

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Jonathan Capehart
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs
Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell
 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 3 Sep 2021 04:33:18 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Jonathan capehart) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/jonathan-capehart-N9x6Oaie Paul sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Jonathan Capehart to talk about being black, gay, finding the gray, and the day when America was as close as it ever was to realizing its national ideals.

Jonathan Capehart is anchor of “The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart” on MSNBC. He is also an opinion writer and editorial board member of The Washington Post, where he hosts the “Cape Up” podcast and anchors Washington Post Live’s “First Look,” and a commentator on “The PBS Newshour.”

Follow Jonathan Capehart on Instagram: @CapehartJ
Follow Jonathan Capehart on Twitter: @CapehartJ
Visit The Sunday Show with Jonathan Capehart
Visit The PBS News Hour - Brooks and Capehart
Listen to Cape Up with Jonathan Capehart

 

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Jonathan Capehart
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs
Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell
 

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
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Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Jonathan Capehart Jonathan capehart 00:49:27 Paul sits down with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Jonathan Capehart to talk about being black, gay, finding the gray, and the day when America was as close as it ever was to realizing its national ideals. Paul sits down with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Jonathan Capehart to talk about being black, gay, finding the gray, and the day when America was as close as it ever was to realizing its national ideals. cape up, pulitzer prize, obergefell, black and gay, blm, civil rights, obama, lgbtq, pride, the sunday show with jonathan capehart, chuck todd, bryant gumbel, nbc, morning joe, trayvon martin, brooks and capehart, msnbc, joe scarborough, jonathan capehart, willie geist, gay, politics, pbs news hour, washington post true full 5 904b695a-253e-4712-bf03-9f5ef0724d23 Paul Williams Paul sits down with Paul Williams to talk about never not being starstruck, three decades of sobriety and why his heart is the fullest it has ever been.

Paul Williams is one of the most beloved and respected music creators in the world today. A lyricist and composer who has won an Oscar Award, three Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and earned induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, his songs, from “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “You and Me Against the World” to “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” “Let Me Be the One” and “The Rainbow Connection,” have touched millions of people for generations.

Follow Paul Williams on Instagram: @paulielama2
Follow Paul Williams on Twitter: @IMPaulWilliams
Visit paulwilliamsofficial.com
Read Gratitude and Trust” Six Affirmations That Will Change Your LIfe by Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Paul Williams
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs
Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell

Clips featured in this episode:

© 2021 Recording Academy - Grammy AwardsDaft Punk, Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, and Pharrell Williams accept the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year at the 56th GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 26, 2014, in Los Angeles.

"We've Only Just Begun" written by Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics)Performed by Paul Williams

The Apology Song from The Book of Life (2014)Lyric by Paul Williams and Music by Gustavo Santaolalla
Performed by Diego Luna

49th Academy Awards - 1977 Oscars© 2021 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

"Rainbow Connection" - The Muppet Movie, written by Paul Williams (lyrics) and Kenneth Ascher (music). Performed by Lance Allen - www.guitarlancer.com

"I Won't Last a Day Without You" written by Paul Williams (lyrics) and Roger Nichols (music)Performed by Paul Williams

The Muppet Show (1976) - Episode 108
Jim Henson and Paul Williams

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
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📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 14 Jul 2021 04:00:00 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/paul-williams-LhTOrc2M Paul sits down with Paul Williams to talk about never not being starstruck, three decades of sobriety and why his heart is the fullest it has ever been.

Paul Williams is one of the most beloved and respected music creators in the world today. A lyricist and composer who has won an Oscar Award, three Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and earned induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, his songs, from “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “You and Me Against the World” to “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” “Let Me Be the One” and “The Rainbow Connection,” have touched millions of people for generations.

Follow Paul Williams on Instagram: @paulielama2
Follow Paul Williams on Twitter: @IMPaulWilliams
Visit paulwilliamsofficial.com
Read Gratitude and Trust” Six Affirmations That Will Change Your LIfe by Paul Williams and Tracey Jackson

Host: Paul Chamberlain
Guest: Paul Williams
Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs
Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell

Clips featured in this episode:

© 2021 Recording Academy - Grammy AwardsDaft Punk, Nile Rodgers, Paul Williams, and Pharrell Williams accept the GRAMMY for Album Of The Year at the 56th GRAMMY Awards on Jan. 26, 2014, in Los Angeles.

"We've Only Just Begun" written by Roger Nichols (music) and Paul Williams (lyrics)Performed by Paul Williams

The Apology Song from The Book of Life (2014)Lyric by Paul Williams and Music by Gustavo Santaolalla
Performed by Diego Luna

49th Academy Awards - 1977 Oscars© 2021 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

"Rainbow Connection" - The Muppet Movie, written by Paul Williams (lyrics) and Kenneth Ascher (music). Performed by Lance Allen - www.guitarlancer.com

"I Won't Last a Day Without You" written by Paul Williams (lyrics) and Roger Nichols (music)Performed by Paul Williams

The Muppet Show (1976) - Episode 108
Jim Henson and Paul Williams

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Paul Williams Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC 00:38:25 Paul sits down with Paul Williams to talk about never not being starstruck, three decades of sobriety and why his heart is the fullest it has ever been. Paul sits down with Paul Williams to talk about never not being starstruck, three decades of sobriety and why his heart is the fullest it has ever been. muppets, smokey and the bandit, bugsy malone, sobriety, paul williams, evergreen true full 4 1435a07d-2e8b-4fae-9a20-a30957b4d765 April Winchell April Winchell has experienced about seven different lifetimes, each one funnier - and up until now - more tragic than the last. The one she lives now is her best life, and she has a hilariously biting perspective on how she got there. The daughter of a famous Dad, April found her own success as an award-winning advertising industry star and acclaimed voice actor. She was also a prolific satirist, L.A. radio personality and monumental hot mess. But today, her creativity and happiness come not from just a very different place, but a far healthier one.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 23 Jun 2021 04:18:52 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (April Winchell) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/april-winchell-W1o0gpk7 April Winchell has experienced about seven different lifetimes, each one funnier - and up until now - more tragic than the last. The one she lives now is her best life, and she has a hilariously biting perspective on how she got there. The daughter of a famous Dad, April found her own success as an award-winning advertising industry star and acclaimed voice actor. She was also a prolific satirist, L.A. radio personality and monumental hot mess. But today, her creativity and happiness come not from just a very different place, but a far healthier one.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> April Winchell April Winchell 00:56:16 Paul sits down with April Winchell to talk about winning all the advertising industry awards, Kevin Spacey and how a chihuahua kept her from whacking herself. Paul sits down with April Winchell to talk about winning all the advertising industry awards, Kevin Spacey and how a chihuahua kept her from whacking herself. kfi, voice actor, etsy, advertising, satire, clarabelle cow, grief, kfi radio, regretsy, depression, comedy, eating disorder true full 3 31b2b8a9-1121-4b0f-9d8c-154c970e3950 Rob Paulsen on depression and the redemptive power of cancer and cartoons Rob Paulsen is one of Hollywood’s busiest, most talented, and most passionate performers who specializes in the art of voice acting, a career that has earned him a Daytime Emmy, three Annie Awards, and a Peabody. He is the voice of Pinky from “Pinky and the Brain”, Yakko from “Animaniacs”, Raphael from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", just to name a few. His accolades and “sunny disposition” stand in stark defiance to the battles he has waged and triumphed over. From a crushing bout of depression at 54 years old to the diagnosis of stage 3 metastatic throat cancer, Rob remains one of the nicest human beings to ever stand in front of a microphone. Rob is now cancer-free and back doing what he loves, with a deep appreciation of what he almost lost and tirelessly using his gifts in service to those that need it the most.

Host: Paul Chamberlain

Guest: Rob Paulsen

Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell

Learn more about Smart Funny Tortured: Visit smartfunnytortured.com

 

Follow Rob Paulsen on Instagram: @rob_paulsen

Follow Rob Paulsen on Twitter: @yakkopinky

Read Rob’s book, Voice Lessons: How a Couple of Ninja Turtles, Pinky, and an Animaniac Saved My Life

Rob would like you to learn more about Boo2Bullying and help eradicate bullying, intolerance and discrimination.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Wed, 9 Jun 2021 00:52:59 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Rob Paulsen) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/rob-paulsen-VhJSb2Xm Rob Paulsen is one of Hollywood’s busiest, most talented, and most passionate performers who specializes in the art of voice acting, a career that has earned him a Daytime Emmy, three Annie Awards, and a Peabody. He is the voice of Pinky from “Pinky and the Brain”, Yakko from “Animaniacs”, Raphael from "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", just to name a few. His accolades and “sunny disposition” stand in stark defiance to the battles he has waged and triumphed over. From a crushing bout of depression at 54 years old to the diagnosis of stage 3 metastatic throat cancer, Rob remains one of the nicest human beings to ever stand in front of a microphone. Rob is now cancer-free and back doing what he loves, with a deep appreciation of what he almost lost and tirelessly using his gifts in service to those that need it the most.

Host: Paul Chamberlain

Guest: Rob Paulsen

Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell

Learn more about Smart Funny Tortured: Visit smartfunnytortured.com

 

Follow Rob Paulsen on Instagram: @rob_paulsen

Follow Rob Paulsen on Twitter: @yakkopinky

Read Rob’s book, Voice Lessons: How a Couple of Ninja Turtles, Pinky, and an Animaniac Saved My Life

Rob would like you to learn more about Boo2Bullying and help eradicate bullying, intolerance and discrimination.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Rob Paulsen on depression and the redemptive power of cancer and cartoons Rob Paulsen 00:58:58 Paul sits down with legendary voice actor Rob Paulsen to discuss depression and the redemptive power of cancer and cartoons. Paul sits down with legendary voice actor Rob Paulsen to discuss depression and the redemptive power of cancer and cartoons. animaniacs, metastatic cancer, gratitude, jonathan winters, pinky, pinky and the brain, throat cancer, defiance, voice acting, voiceover, yakko, cancer, steven spielberg, depression, tmnt, teenage mutant ninja turtle, optimism, rob paulsen, jimmy neutron true full 2 1d66f5fd-598a-4121-9658-b87e6f05899e George Hahn on sobriety, tenacity and Cary Grant's suit Paul sits down with the charming and ascendant George Hahn to talk about sobriety, tenacity and Cary Grant's suit.

George was recently featured in the New York Times and given the designation of “Urban Raconteur.”  Spot on considering how the satirist, humorist, sartorialist, minimalist, bicyclist, urbanist, humanist, soloist and coffee elitist is becoming essential viewing on social media with his hilarious and intimate live-streamed morning walks through Central Park with his dogs. But what made this podcast so rich and meaningful was the discussion around George’s 19 years of sobriety. Where he was at the turn of the century (Sex and The City and a famous paramour are only part of the story), when his hard living had to end and how he now finds peace as a creative enjoying his own renaissance in the city he loves dearly.

 

Follow George Hahn on Instagram: @georgehahn

Follow George Hahn on Twitter: @georgehahn

Follow George Hahn on TikTok: @georgehahnnyc

Visit GeorgeHahn.com

 

Host: Paul Chamberlain

Guest: George Hahn

Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell

Learn more about Smart Funny Tortured: Visit smartfunnytortured.com

 

Clips featured in this episode:

North By Northwest - Turner Entertainment

Days of Wine and Roses - Warner Bros.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> Fri, 21 May 2021 19:47:25 +0000 paul@smartfunnytortured.com (Jonathan Capehart, George Hahn, Paul Chamberlain, April Winchell) https://smartfunnytortured.simplecast.com/episodes/smart-funny-tortured-george-hahn-ypqRlwWL Paul sits down with the charming and ascendant George Hahn to talk about sobriety, tenacity and Cary Grant's suit.

George was recently featured in the New York Times and given the designation of “Urban Raconteur.”  Spot on considering how the satirist, humorist, sartorialist, minimalist, bicyclist, urbanist, humanist, soloist and coffee elitist is becoming essential viewing on social media with his hilarious and intimate live-streamed morning walks through Central Park with his dogs. But what made this podcast so rich and meaningful was the discussion around George’s 19 years of sobriety. Where he was at the turn of the century (Sex and The City and a famous paramour are only part of the story), when his hard living had to end and how he now finds peace as a creative enjoying his own renaissance in the city he loves dearly.

 

Follow George Hahn on Instagram: @georgehahn

Follow George Hahn on Twitter: @georgehahn

Follow George Hahn on TikTok: @georgehahnnyc

Visit GeorgeHahn.com

 

Host: Paul Chamberlain

Guest: George Hahn

Produced by: Cerebral Itch Labs

Engineered & Edited by: April Winchell

Learn more about Smart Funny Tortured: Visit smartfunnytortured.com

 

Clips featured in this episode:

North By Northwest - Turner Entertainment

Days of Wine and Roses - Warner Bros.

SMART FUNNY TORTURED
🌐 Learn more: smartfunnytortured.com
📱 Follow @SmartFunnyTortured on Instagram for more.
🧠 Join the Samrt Funny Tortured community on Skool

 

Copyright © 2025 • Cerebral Itch Labs, LLC / Smart Funny Tortured • All Rights Reserved

]]> George Hahn on sobriety, tenacity and Cary Grant's suit Jonathan Capehart, George Hahn, Paul Chamberlain, April Winchell 00:53:09 Paul sits down with the charming and ascendant George Hahn to talk about sobriety, tenacity and Cary Grant's suit. Paul sits down with the charming and ascendant George Hahn to talk about sobriety, tenacity and Cary Grant's suit. moonraker, lgbtqi+, raconteur, redemption, north by northwest, kathryn hahn, george hahn, michael patrick king, sartorialist, the authority, addiction, sobriety, cary grant, creative, the dating game, satirist, days of wine and roses, rock bottom, booze true full 1